All's Fair in Love and Tennis
by Heavenli24
Summary: Max Evans is an aspiring tennis star from London, whose hero & inspiration is Jeff Parker, 9-times Grand Slam winner & former world number one. Liz Parker is Jeff's daughter who, following in her dad's footsteps, is an up-and-coming tennis star.
1. Prologue

**Title**: All's Fair in Love and Tennis

**Author**: Heavenli24

**Pairings/Couples/Category**: M/L

**Rating**: MATURE

**Disclaimer**: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN. They are not mine and no infringement is intended.

**Summary**: Max Evans is an aspiring tennis player from London, whose hero and inspiration is Jeff Parker, 9-times Grand Slam winner and former British and world number one. Liz Parker is Jeff's daughter, who has followed in her dad's footsteps to become an up-and-coming new tennis star. What happens when Max and Liz meet at their first ever Grand Slam tournament?

* * *

**Prologue**

_**July 8**__**th**__** 2007 – Men's Singles Final, Wimbledon 2007**_

'_Okay, you can do this; just take deep breaths and stay calm,' _twenty-six-year-old Max Evans repeated to himself silently as he bounced the tennis ball on the ground once…twice…three times, preparing for the serve.

He closed his eyes in concentration as he geared up his body to begin the match. When he opened them, the first thing he saw was Liz Parker watching him from the side of the court. A small grin tugged at his lips as she sent him a smile of encouragement and gave a thumbs-up. He nodded in response, sucking in one final breath as he threw the ball in the air and brought his racket smashing down, thereby opening the match.

As he watched his opponent hit the ball back over the net, he lunged forward to return it, a burst of adrenaline shooting through him. He almost couldn't believe this was really happening; he'd made it to the Wimbledon final – something he'd been dreaming about since he was a small boy, watching the legendary Jeff Parker win his third consecutive Wimbledon title back in 1986.

The first rally of the match was well underway and Max was playing well. Every now and then, he'd glimpse her flowing dark hair and pensive gaze on him as he moved and a smile would slide across his face at the sight. Liz Parker, daughter of famous tennis player, Jeff Parker, was the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on and the woman who, after years of struggles and hurting, was actually back in his life again. And being honest, if it weren't for her, he wouldn't be standing here today, competing for the championship cup, with a 50:50 chance of actually winning it.

"Game, Evans."

Liz was definitely his good luck charm today, he decided, as the umpire called his name: he'd won the first game. He jogged back to his chair for a quick swig of water. His eyes flew to her once more as he picked up his racket again and made his way back onto the court. At one time, she had been everything to him: his best friend, his support, and his other half, and back then, he couldn't have imagined being without her. However, there had been obstacles in their way over the last few years, things that had kept them apart and now it amazed him that she was actually here supporting him today.

Right this moment, life was great, and if he could manage to stay on top and play his best today, in a couple of hours, his life could be perfect once again.

_TBC…_


	2. Chapter 1

**Part One**

_**One month earlier – Thursday June 7**__**th**__** 2007**_

"…Okay, I know this one… it's Prince Charles on his visit to the Chelsea Flower Show last week wearing that God-awful green jacket…" stated Paul Merton confidently.

"…is the wrong answer," replied Angus Deayton, drawing out the well-known catchphrase. "It was actually…"

Max Evans rolled his eyes and pressed the mute button on the TV remote. It was ten-thirty on a Thursday night and there was nothing on TV but "Have I Got News For You" reruns on UKTV G2, which were really getting old…and they weren't even that funny anymore, especially considering that the so-called 'News' was now almost ten years out of date. He let out a sigh as he began channel-hopping mindlessly, only stopping when he reached the BBC's sports news. With interest, he turned the sound up again.

"So, John, what do you think of the rumours going around that a certain Liz Parker may be making a comeback at Wimbledon this year?" asked Sue Barker with a warm smile. "After two years away, I'd imagine she'd be itching to get back on the court."

Max shifted on his bed, sitting up straight at the words coming from the former tennis professional turned sports TV presenter.

"Well, Sue," replied John Lloyd, her guest-host on the programme. "I sincerely doubt there's any truth to these rumours. After all, the press do like to stir things up before every big tournament. There have been rumours of her return for months now, but there's been no sign of her as of yet."

Max let out a sigh of relief. He'd spent the last few months working so hard to get to where he was now and seeing Liz Parker again would completely ruin everything for him. He didn't need any distractions right now; if he was going to win Wimbledon once and for all, he needed to concentrate on his game.

Stifling a yawn, he slid off the bed, turned off the TV and made his way into the bathroom to get ready for bed. He needed an early night if he was going to be on the practice courts all day tomorrow. However, he stopped in his tracks as, halfway to the bathroom, his mobile began blasting the 'Match of the Day' theme tune – hey, he might be a tennis player, but he still enjoyed his football! With a roll of his eyes, he reached over to grab the phone from his bedside table.

"Yes?"

"Max, I'm glad I caught you before you went to bed," came a slightly breathless voice on the other end. It was his coach, Todd Davis – one of the best in the country, but totally lousy with timing.

"What's up, Todd?"

"Sorry to call you so late, mate, but I've just had an email from the Wimbledon committee and I have a favour to ask of you."

_Oh no, here we go,_ thought Max with an internal sigh, before replying with an almost impatient, "Yes?"

"Well, since you seem to be back on track this year, the committee were hoping I could persuade you to participate in the mixed doubles again," said Todd, somewhat hesitantly.

"What?" exclaimed Max, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Todd, you know I don't play mixed anymore…not since…" he trailed off, his meaning implied.

"I know that, mate, but you and I both know you never really got closure on that period of your life. I think this would be a good opportunity to put the past behind you, once and for all."

"And how exactly do you expect me to do that?" burst out Max in frustration. "I sincerely doubt that I'm going to get closure by playing doubles with some girl I've never met before."

"Ah, see that's the thing, Max," replied Todd. "You wouldn't be partnering just anyone. They want you to play with Liz Parker."

Max almost dropped the phone in shock as his coach's words registered. Liz? She was back? After practically dropping off the face of the Earth for almost two years, she was making a comeback…now? And they wanted him to play with her. No way… there was no way in hell he was going to play with Liz Parker again.

"What?" he screeched down the phone in outrage. "You're having a laugh. No fucking way!"

"Max, Max, just listen to me, okay? I know it's not the ideal situation, but think about the publicity you'll get from this –"

"No, you listen to me, Todd," he retorted, cutting Todd off in mid-sentence. "After years of trying, I'm finally where I want to be – I might actually have a chance of winning this year; I can't jeopardise that; and if I have to deal with Liz Parker during this tournament it could ruin me."

"Look, Max," piped up Todd sympathetically. "I know it'd be difficult for you, but can you just give it some thought? Please? Think what this would do for you in the public eye: the great Evans and Parker team back together again. You'd be all over the news."

"Exactly," Max responded dryly. "I don't want that kind of publicity right now. I'm here to concentrate on my game, not my image. The answer is no."

"But, Max – "

Max hung up the phone, abruptly cutting Todd off, and angrily tossed it onto his bed before marching into the bathroom. He braced his hands on the edge of the sink as he shook his head at his reflection. He had to admit that the anger he'd expressed on the phone was really just a front to mask his true feelings. In all honesty, just the thought of Liz Parker being here in London and competing in the same Grand Slam tournament as him, for the first time in two years, scared the shit out of him. He had no desire to ever talk to the girl ever again and avoiding her would be pretty much impossible if he were to partner her in the mixed doubles.

After all the pain and suffering he'd been through these past few months, he didn't think his heart could survive seeing her again. He splashed water onto his face and as he reached for a towel to dry off, his thoughts wandered back to the first time he'd ever met Liz Parker…

* * *

**_Friday May 25__th__ 2001 – French Open, Paris, France_**

_Max sucked in a deep breath as he prepared to open the large white door in front of him and enter the posh conference room where Jeff Parker's good luck party was being held. He almost couldn't believe he was actually here in Paris, a qualifier for the French Open, which began in just a couple of days and he was about to meet some of the greatest tennis players in the world, including his idol – nine-times grand-slam winner and one of the most admired tennis players of all time, Jeff Parker. _

_He was both excited and extremely nervous at the prospect of actually playing in a grand slam tournament. He would be amongst the big guns now and it was all very daunting. He'd been dreaming of making it as a professional tennis player for fifteen years – ever since he was five years old – and now his dream seemed to finally be coming true. With trembling hands, he reached for the doorknob and pulled open the large door. This was it, the beginning of everything he'd ever wanted…_

… Or maybe not,_ he thought twenty minutes later, as he stood beside the refreshment table, nursing a glass of beer in one hand_, at least not the socialising side of the tennis world. _Max plastered a fake smile on his face as yet another socialite woman complimented him on his recent profile in _Ace_ tennis magazine and told him he was so much better-looking in the flesh. As the woman continued to gush, he quickly made an excuse to leave and let out a sigh of relief as he slipped away towards the men's toilets. God, these people were so… superficial… it made him want to throw up._

_As he exited the toilets a couple of minutes later, he was greeted by his current coach, Mark Wilson, who exclaimed that he'd been looking for him everywhere and then proceeded to drag him off to introduce him to some people he knew. Thirty minutes later, he'd made small talk with more people than he could remember and he felt like his head was spinning from all the information he'd received in such a short time. He really needed to sit down and take a breather. _

_He began scanning the room for an empty seat, but before he could find one, his eyes caught on someone standing by the far wall, a girl with long, dark, shiny hair, a girl who looked familiar. She held a glass of wine in one hand and an interesting-looking hors d'oeuvre in the other, which she occasionally brought up to her mouth to take a nibble on. Max frowned as she tried to place her… Wait a minute, of course he knew who she was – she was Jeff Parker's daughter, Elizabeth. Wow, she had really grown up since he'd last seen pictures of her a few years ago – she must be about seventeen now, he mused. He'd heard that she was a budding tennis player, but he hadn't considered that she might be at this party – although considering that her dad was the host, he shouldn't have been all that surprised._

_He watched her for a moment before deciding to take the plunge and approach her. He weaved his way through the crowd and eventually came to a stop beside her. He exhaled lightly before plastering a smile on his face and opening his mouth to speak._

"_It's pathetic, isn't it?" he murmured, watching as Elizabeth glanced up at him in surprise. _

"_I'm sorry?" she queried. She had a nice voice, decided Max; it was friendly and warm._

"_All these attention-seeking, tennis-world wannabes," replied Max, raising a hand towards the crowd. "I mean, I bet half of them don't know shit about the sport, yet here they are, mingling and sucking up to everyone in sight."_

_She giggled and took a sip of wine. His smile widened and he turned to face her with a grin, stretching out his hand to her._

"_Max Evans, up and coming star of British tennis," he quoted with a teasing wink. That's what they'd called him in a recent newspaper article – his mum had called him up just to read it to him. _

_Elizabeth rolled her eyes and he grinned again. He didn't know what had come over him. He wasn't usually this forward or cheeky, but somehow this girl seemed to bring it out in him._

"_Liz Parker, most famous tennis player in the world," she joked back as she shook his hand._

"_Touché," he chuckled, as she sighed and then returned the grin._

"_Okay, so technically I'm his daughter, but one day I will be the most famous player in the world," she declared._

"_Ah," said Max airily, enjoying their banter. "So you must be that Parker girl everyone's talking about. You know, I personally don't see the big deal, but you know, whatever," he shrugged._

"_Oh, ha ha," mocked Liz, her hand still gripping his. They stared each other down for a moment, before Liz gave him a genuine smile. "Nice to meet you, Max Evans."_

"_You too, Liz Parker," he returned the smile, finally letting his hand slip from hers. "So, what do you say we stick together the next two weeks, get away from all these awful people?"_

"_Sounds like a plan to me," she grinned. "Although I know how to handle these kinds of people; I've been doing it all my life," she added airily._

"_Oh, well aren't you the experienced one," he retorted cheekily._

_Liz raised an eyebrow at him, "Wouldn't you like to know?"_

"_Are you propositioning me, Ms. Parker?" asked Max playfully. _

"_I wouldn't dream of it," replied Liz sweetly._

"_Of course not," he agreed, hiding a grin. "Can I get you another drink?"_

"_Oh, um, I already have –" _

_Max smirked at she stopped abruptly, looking down at her now-empty wine glass._

"_You know what? Another drink would be great," she said quickly. "Thanks."_

"_White wine?" he asked._

"_Sure."_

"_I'll be right back."_

_Max chuckled to himself as he made his way through the crowd, towards the bar. Who knew Jeff Parker's daughter would be such a tease? He had to admit though, that she was fun to be around and he couldn't deny that he was looking forward to hanging out with her over the next few days. Once at the bar, he ordered another white wine for Liz and gin and tonic for himself, but as he made his way back over to Liz, a thought occurred to him._

"_You know," he said, as he reached her side once again. "I'm not entirely sure you should be drinking this; after all, you are underage."_

"_I'm legal here," she informed him, as she took the glass from him, but raised her eyebrows questioningly, "And anyway, what do you know about my age? You only just met me."_

_Damn. How was he going to explain this one?_

"_Um, well," he fumbled, looking away as he felt the heat rising in his cheeks. He sucked in a breath before he turning back to her. "Okay, here's the thing. I'm a big fan of your dad – have been since I was a kid. I even remember seeing you in pictures with him when you were younger, so it's not hard to work out how old you are now."_

"_Oh God," Liz groaned, and Max could see a blush tingeing her cheeks too. "I looked awful back then."_

"_Look, it's not a big thing, alright?" Max quickly backtracked. "Just forget I mentioned it."_

"_Okay, I'll agree to that" Liz was quick to add. _

"_Great," replied Max, taking a sip of his drink. Whew, he'd almost blown it then. He didn't want Liz Parker thinking that he had an unhealthy obsession with her father or anything – that might have scared her off._

_They stood together in silence for a few minutes, just observing their surroundings, until the annoying woman that had gushed over Max earlier suddenly slipped on a spilled drink next to the buffet table and fell flat on her back. He tried not to laugh at the sight, but it was proving difficult, especially since Liz was openly giggling beside him. He turned to her and their eyes met as they both succumbed to their laughter. To avoid drawing attention, Max quickly ushered Liz out of the room, towards the pool area, where they took a seat beside the water and spent the rest of the evening chatting and generally getting to know each other._

As the memory faded and Max discarded the towel, he realised that his eyes were damp. He quickly shook his head to clear it and with a scowl, he left the bathroom and got changed for bed. As he slid beneath the covers and turned off the light, he vowed to himself that he would never let Liz Parker close to him again.

_TBC…_


	3. Chapter 2

**Part Two**

_**Friday June 8**__**th**__** 2007**_

Liz Parker eyed the automatic ball machine warily as she prepared to hit the next tennis ball it shot out in her direction. She was struggling to concentrate on her training today, not just because she'd been out of the game for two years and this year's Wimbledon was her big comeback, but also because she knew who else would be playing here over the coming weeks.

Max Evans.

Although she'd done her best to forget him and everything he once was to her over the past few months, she couldn't help but keep up to date with his tennis career. She knew that despite being considered one of the best players of 2005, for some reason his career had gone downhill during 2006. However, last August something had changed and he had crashed back onto the scene in spectacular style, winning first the US Open, then the Australian Open and even the French Open just a couple of weeks ago. He was back on form as the tennis star of the moment and according to the papers, was well on track for winning Wimbledon this year too.

Whoosh.

Liz sucked in a loaded breath as a brand new yellow tennis ball shot out of the machine on the other side of the court and she swung her racket back in preparation.

Whack.

The head of the racket connected with the ball and the force of her swing sent it flying right into the wire netting at the back of the court. Putting all thoughts of Max Evans and the past behind her, Liz recovered quickly and returned to the centre of the court, ready to hit the next ball. For the next thirty minutes, she continued to practice her shots, stopping only to collect up the balls scattered around the court and reload the automatic ball machine, until the sound of a throat clearing at the side of the court distracted her. Liz jogged over to the machine, turning it off, before turning to the intruder, who was watching her with an unreadable expression, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Hey, David," she greeted her coach breathlessly. "How's it going today?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Maybe I should be asking you that question, Liz. Don't you think you might be going over the top with this training schedule of yours? You've only been back on the courts for a few weeks; I don't want to see you overdoing it before the tournament even begins."

Liz just rolled her eyes, "I'm fine, David. I'm almost back up to the level of fitness I was two years ago and if I want to succeed at Wimbledon this year, then I'm going to have to train hard over the next couple of weeks."

David sighed, "Okay, I get it. But just be careful out here, alright? I don't want you spraining an ankle or twisting a knee just because you haven't bothered to warm up properly."

"Yes, sir," Liz agreed with a solemn nod, although there was a twinkle in her eye as she lifted her hand to her forehead and gave a quick salute.

David Johnson gave her a slightly amused nod before opening his mouth to speak again, "Right, well, now that's out of the way, let's get down to the reason I'm here – apart from to coach you, that is – I've got a proposition for you."

"And what proposition is that?" wondered Liz aloud, as she reached down for her water bottle, which was placed at the side of the net, and took a gulp of water.

"Okay, here's the thing: I got an email from the tournament committee last night. It seems they want you to enter into the mixed doubles as well as the singles."

"What?" exclaimed Liz, almost choking on her water. "Me, play mixed again? Are they crazy? I'm barely in good enough shape to play my singles matches, let alone any others!"

"Liz, you said it yourself just now: you're almost back to your old standard already. I'm sure you can handle a few extra matches."

Liz snorted, "Says the guy who just told me not to overdo it." She sighed, "Look, David, I'm out of practice; I can't just jump into playing mixed in a grand slam with some bloke I've never played with before – it would just be a mess on the court."

At this, her coach fidgeted slightly and avoided her gaze. Liz narrowed her eyes.

"What aren't you telling me, David?"

He gave her a somewhat sheepish glance, "See, the thing is… you wouldn't be playing with just anyone…"

"Oh?"

"They want you and Max Evans to play together again," he blurted out quickly, closing his eyes as if bracing himself for the inevitable outburst from his student.

But none came. Liz just stood in front of him, her mouth opening and closing mindlessly, her mind reeling with shock. It was several seconds before she managed to form words.

"No, no, no, I can't," she muttered, vigorously shaking her head in the negative. "There is no way that I'm playing with Max Evans. Not now, not ever. And that's final."

"Liz, please, won't you just consider it? Think what this could do for your career – it's wouldn't just be your comeback in the news… it'd be the great Evans and Parker team, back together again. Think of the press and publicity you'd get if you did it."

"I don't care about the publicity, okay?" stated Liz, through her teeth. "It's going to be hard enough knowing that Max is here, in Wimbledon, at the same time as me. I don't think I can handle being around him in person too."

David's expression softened and he moved to put an arm around Liz's shoulders, "Look, I know this isn't the ideal situation for you right now, but don't you think it would be good for the public to see that you and Max are still friends, even after all this time?"

"But, we're not friends, are we?" murmured Liz bitterly. "We haven't even spoken in almost two years." She shook her head. "No… no, David… I'm not going to do it. End of story."

Her coach released her and looked down at her sad, vulnerable expression before sighing in defeat, "Okay, you win. I'll tell the committee you're unable to enter the mixed this year."

Liz let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you, David. Thank you so much."

He simply nodded sadly and made his way back towards the gate at the side of the court, "Well, I guess I have a phone call to make. Keep practicing, and I'll come by later so we can work on your footwork some more."

Liz watched him go, before picking up her racket once more and returning to her practice shots. As she began methodically hitting the balls as they were released from the machine, her mind travelled back to a time when life was simple and she had just made a new friend by the name of Max Evans…

* * *

**_Saturday June 2__nd__ 2001 – French Open, Paris, France_**

_Liz was sitting at a table, staring glumly out of the window of the Roland Garros coffee bar, one hand propping up her chin as the other absentmindedly stirred her coffee with a spoon._

_She felt as if the whole day had just been a terrible blur. It wasn't fair: she'd been playing her best all week, yet this morning she'd been knocked out in the third round of the tournament. Although she knew it was a big achievement to have made it to the third round of her first Grand Slam, she couldn't help but be disappointed in herself for not getting further._

_She let out a sigh as her thoughts drifted back to her game earlier that day. If she was honest, she didn't' suppose there was much she could have done about the outcome of the match. She hadn't played badly by any means, but the fact of the matter was that her opponent had been a better player. _

"_Hey there, stranger," came a now familiar tone from behind her._

_Pulled from her thoughts, Liz lifted her head to see a sweaty and tired-looking Max Evans sliding into the seat opposite her, a sympathetic expression on his face._

"_Oh, hey, Max," she greeted softly._

"_Liz," he returned. "I heard about your match this morning… I just wanted to offer my commiserations to you."_

"_Yeah, well," shrugged Liz, in a 'watcha you gonna do?' manner. "My opponent was the better player."_

"_Still," said Max gently. "It's never a good feeling when you lose a match. Believe me, I know."_

_Liz nodded in agreement, before asking hesitantly, "Dare I ask how your third round match went?"_

"_It pretty much sucked," admitted Max with a sigh. "He beat me in straight sets."_

"_Oh, I'm sorry," replied Liz, her expression softening. "So, I guess we're both big losers here then."_

"_Yeah… as glad as I am to have made it to the third round, losing just sucks."_

"_Tell me about it," murmured Liz, before suddenly perking up, a smile on her face as a thought occurred to her. "Although… being out of the tournament does have a couple of merits…"_

"_Oh?" wondered Max. _

"_We no longer need to get a good night's sleep, nor do we have to avoid alcohol anymore this week – so what do you say we go for a night on the town tonight? You, me and lots of booze."_

_Max looked apprehensive at first, but Liz just fixed him with the puppy-dog expression that never failed to wear her father down, and he soon relented._

"_Okay, Miss Parker, you're on," he announced with a grin._

"_Great," said Liz happily. "We'll go back to the hotel to shower and change and then we can meet in the lobby at eight for a night of fun."_

"_Sounds good," agreed Max. "I could do with some fun after the intensity of the last few days."_

_

* * *

_

_Three hours and several drinks later, Liz and Max were sitting at the bar of a smoky Paris brasserie engaged in an apparently serious, but not entirely coherent conversation. During a lull in the discussion, Liz turned to Max with a drunken smile, winked at him and then turned to the barman to order more drinks._

"_Excuse-moi, monsieur?" she asked the dark-haired, good-looking man behind the bar._

"_Oui, mademoiselle?" the bartender gave her a smile._

"_Tequilas, s'il vous plait; deux," she stated, holding up two fingers to indicated how many she wanted._

"_Un moment, mademoiselle," smiled the barman, as he pulled out two shot glasses._

_Two minutes later, two shots of tequila were placed in front of Liz, along with two slices of lime and a salt-shaker. _

"_Merci," Liz thanked the barman and paid for the drinks, before turning to Max twinkle in her eye, "You ready?"_

"_Yep," he said firmly._

"_Okay, on three," said Liz, as she picked up her glass in preparation. "One…two…three."_

_Simultaneously, the two of them licked salt of the backs of their hands, downed the shot and reached for the slices of lime._

"_Ahh," sighed Liz, putting the lime back down on the plate. "Just what I needed. How about you?"_

"_Oh, definitely," agreed Max, although his words were slightly slurred and he was currently swaying a little in his seat. He leaned his arm on the side of the bar as he studied Liz carefully. "So, Lizzie… can I call you Lizzie?"_

"_Sure," Liz chuckled, amused at Max's behaviour; he obviously didn't drink a lot. "Go ahead."_

"_Okay, Lizzie, I have a question for you."_

"_Okay, shoot."_

"_What's your favourite…" Max paused, as if he was trying to remember what he wanted to ask. Liz bit her lip to hide her smile "Film?"_

"_My favourite film?" she wondered aloud. "Hmm… I guess it would have to be… Ever After."_

_Max frowned quizzically for a moment before asking, "That Cinderella one with Drew Barrymore?"_

"_Yeah," grinned Liz. "I love it… it's so romantic."_

"_Huh," Max rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't have pegged you for a romantic."_

"_Really? Why not?" wondered Liz with a giggle._

"_Well, you seem… sorta wild and outgoing. Thought you'd prefer action films."_

_Liz shrugged and her expression turned thoughtful at that. "Nah, not really," she replied, before turning the question around on him, "So, what's your favourite film then, Mr. Evans?" _

_Max shrugged, "You know, I don't really have one."_

"_Oh, come on, you have to have a favourite!" exclaimed Liz incredulously._

"_Well, I don't," retorted Max. "I like lots of films."_

"_Fine," Liz pouted. "Spoilsport."_

_Max frowned. "I'm not a spoilsport," he pouted drunkenly._

"_Yes, you are," returned Liz with a grin. "You're a big ole' tennis-playing spoilsport."_

"_If you say so," mumbled Max, apparently too inebriated to argue any further._

"_Hey, let's go clubbing," announced Liz, suddenly changing the subject as she hopped off her bar stool and grabbed Max's arm._

"_Okay," Max agreed and Liz pulled him out of the brasserie._

_Max slung his arm around Liz's shoulders as they weaved in and out of the pedestrians on the pavements of the Paris streets. Liz smiled to herself; she felt so comfortable around Max – more so than she had around any of her other male friends – and as they reached the nightclub, she decided that he was going to become one of her best friends in the months to come…_

_TBC…_


	4. Chapter 3

**Part Three**

_**Friday June 8**__**th**__** 2007**_

Out on the practice courts, Max was trying his hardest to concentrate on his footwork, but this morning, he was definitely more than distracted. Despite what he'd told Todd on the phone last night about not wanting to deal with Liz being here at Wimbledon, he couldn't stop his mind from wandering to her and where on earth she could have been for the past two years.

Although, months ago, he'd vowed not to dwell on the past and what she'd once meant to him, he couldn't help but wonder how she was doing. There was also this little nagging feeling in the back of his mind that nothing about their relationship had yet been resolved… it was a feeling that he knew wouldn't go away until he found out the real reason she left that summer.

He'd been angry about that for a long time, angry at her for what she'd done, and even now, when he'd finally found some peace of mind and had moved on, his thoughts would still occasionally drift back to her. If he was totally honest, there was a part of him that was tempted to agree to play in the mixed doubles, just so he could finally confront the perfect Liz Parker and demand to know why she had stopped loving him, why she had thrown away everything they meant to each other, only to disappear from the face of the earth, never to contact him again.

But he knew that it was a bad idea, because if he even got so much as a glimpse of Liz Parker in the flesh right now, his defences would drop. Everything would just come rushing back and his heart probably would never recover again. And if that wasn't bad enough, he was sure he would no longer be able to concentrate on his game if she was there, and his career would therefore be in the toilet.

No, it was better all around if he stayed as far away from Liz Parker as possible.

With this thought in mind, Max spent the next hour releasing his frustrations over the Liz situation on the court and by the time he stopped for a breather, his game was back on track. He felt energised and ready to take on Wimbledon 2007 and would have continued to train for several more hours if it weren't for his best friend and practice partner, Nathan Thomas showing up at the edge of the court barely a minute later.

"Oi, Max!" called Nathan through the metal wire netting surrounding the court. Max raised a hand in greeting as he took one last swig from his water bottle and then ran a towel over his face to wipe away the sweat. "Up for a pint?"

"Alright, Nathe?" he greeted tiredly as he gathered his belongings and trudged off the court. "What's going on?"

His friend shrugged. "Not much… saw you working your bum off out here and thought you could use a break and maybe a beer? They're showing the Arsenal match in the Dog and Bone this afternoon," he revealed temptingly.

A smile tugged at the corners of Max's mouth, "Fine, you got me. Looks like I'm spending the afternoon at the pub."

* * *

"He wants you to what?" exclaimed Nathan in surprise, putting his pint glass back down on the table to prevent the beer inside from spilling out.

"Not he, they – the committee," clarified Max. "They want me to play in the mixed with Liz Parker."

"Wow," his friend breathed. "That's…God, mate, what did you say to that?"

"I told Todd no fucking way," stated Max, taking a gulp of his drink. "I have no plans to be anywhere near Liz Parker in the next few weeks."

Nathan regarded Max thoughtfully for a few moments before speaking again, "You know, when you first introduced me to Liz, I said to myself, 'those two are going to end up together one day; they're perfect for each other'." Max raised an eyebrow cynically, but Nathan continued, "And I know you guys aren't together at the moment, but I still think there's hope for the two of you yet."

"Nathe," started Max, shaking his head. "All hope I ever had of spending my life with Liz Parker flew out of the window the day she just up and left me without a word. I don't need the stress of getting into it with her all over again, especially not now."

"But don't you think it's worth trying to reconcile your differences, even if it's just to find out the reason she left?" argued Nathan. "After all, if the tournament goes well for both of you, then you're going to have to deal with her at all the other tournaments in the future too. Why not just get it over with and settle your differences now whilst you have the chance?"

Max sighed; Nathan did have a point and deep down he knew that this would just be the beginning of his trying to avoid Liz at tournaments. But, although he knew the best thing to do would be to finally get an explanation from her, he didn't think that competing in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon together when they weren't even on speaking terms, was the best way to go about it.

"I don't know, Nathan," he muttered. "God, why did this have to happen now, just when I'm getting back on track again?"

Nathan gave him a sympathetic smile, "Hey, do you remember when you told me about your first ever meeting with Liz's dad? What he said to you about being a successful player and not letting anything interfere with that?"

Max nodded reluctantly.

"Well, don't you think that applies now?"

Max's expression became thoughtful as he remembered that day, when he'd met Jeff Parker for the first time…

* * *

**_Tuesday September 4__th__ 2001 – US Open, Queens, New York_**

"_Congratulations," stated Max warmly, as he pulled Liz into a hug at the side of the court. _

_She'd just won her first quarterfinal in a Grand Slam and as Max had lost own his fourth round match yesterday, he'd made it a point to go and watch Liz play today._

"_Thanks," she grinned when he released her. "Look, my father promised he'd take me and my mum out to celebrate tonight if I won today and I was hoping you'd join us for dinner?"_

_Dinner with Liz and her parents… dinner with Jeff Parker? Of course he wanted to go!_

"_I'd love to, Liz," he grinned. "Thank you."_

"_No problem," smiled Liz. "Let me just finish up here and we'll go meet Dad at my hotel." _

"_Great," agreed Max. "You go and talk to the press and I'll wait for you outside the courts, alright?"_

"_Okay, great. I won't be long," she told him, before collecting her things and making her way out to the changing rooms._

_Max left the courtside and waited patiently while Liz gave interviews to the press and then got changed out of her tennis gear. He couldn't stop grinning… he was about to officially meet Jeff Parker – a man he'd idolised since he was a kid and the person who had inspired him to become a tennis player all those years ago._

_Max and Liz entered the hotel to find Jeff already waiting for them in the lobby. Jeff's face lit up with a beaming smile when he spotted his daughter, and Max watched as he stood up from his comfy chair to pull her into a hug._

"_I'm so proud of you, Lizzie," he murmured into her hair, gripping her tightly. "But I'm so sorry I couldn't be there to watch you this afternoon."_

"_Thanks, Dad," said Liz, as she pulled back to look up at her father. "And it's okay, I know you would have come if you could."_

_Jeff smiled down at his daughter, before turning to face Max. He held out his hand in invitation._

"_So, you must be the Max Evans that Lizzie's been telling me so much about. It's nice to meet you."_

"_Um, thank you," managed Max, as he numbly shook hands with his hero. "It's nice to meet you too, Mr Parker."_

_Liz's dad just smiled at him. _

"_Call me Jeff," he said warmly. "I've been hearing good things about your game, Max. Apparently you're supposed to be the next big thing around here."_

"_Yeah, well," shrugged Max, slightly embarrassed at receiving praise from such a high-profile ex- player. "I'm trying my best."_

"_He's really good, Dad," added Liz with a smile, before apparently sensing that he was uncomfortable under her dad's scrutiny and quickly changing the subject. "So, where's Mum? Is she still coming for dinner?"_

"_She is, but you know how long it takes her to get ready for these things," replied Jeff. "She'll be joining us in a few minutes. Actually, I'll just go and see if she's on her way now. Excuse me, kids."_

_Liz and Max nodded and then proceeded to make small talk until Jeff returned with Nancy Parker on his arm. Introductions were made and Max found himself warming considerably to both Liz's parents as they made their way out of the hotel. Thirty minutes later, the four of them were seated in a posh Manhattan restaurant for Liz's celebratory dinner._

"_So, Max," said Jeff, after they'd ordered and were waiting for the food to arrive. "What made you decide to pursue a career in tennis?"_

_Max stole a quick, embarrassed glance at Liz, whose lips twitched at the question. She knew exactly who had inspired him as a child, and he wasn't sure if it was appropriate to admit that to Jeff himself, however, she just smiled at him encouragingly, so he turned back to Jeff._

"_Well, actually, I've wanted to be a professional tennis player since I was five years old," he revealed. "In fact, it was the 1986 Wimbledon men's final that did it for me."_

"_1986? Now, I seem to remember winning that year," said Jeff, as he began to catch on to what Max was saying. "Ah, I see."_

"_This is kind of embarrassing to admit, but I'm a big fan of yours, Jeff. You were my inspiration as a kid and it was my childhood dream to be able to play at Wimbledon too one day."_

"_Wow," grinned Jeff. "Well, thank you, Max. I'm glad I was able to inspire you" He turned to Liz with a twinkle in his eyes. "I think you've chosen a great friend here, Lizzie."_

_Liz laughed lightly, causing Max to duck his head in embarrassment. Across the table, Nancy Parker smiled and reached over to pat the back of Max's hand._

"_Well, I imagine this must quite a day for you, Max. You know what I would do?" Max raised his eyes to look at her quizzically. "I'd take this opportunity to grill my husband on his winning techniques," she told him with a wink._

"_Oh, of course," piped up Jeff. "Feel free to ask me anything you like – I'd be happy to offer you some tips and advice about your game."_

_Max had to physically force himself not to stare at the Parkers in wonder. He was being given the opportunity to quiz Jeff Parker on how to be a successful player? This was crazy! _

"_Um, well… thank you, Jeff," he stuttered, in awe of Liz and her family._

"_Nothing to thank me for," Liz's dad smiled. "So, is there anything you'd like to know?"_

"_Well, actually, I've recently noticed that quite a few of my friends have become distracted by personal problems and outside relationships, so I've been wondering what the best way to stay focused on the tennis is and not let any of the outside stuff affect your game?" _

"_That's a good question actually, Max," replied Jeff thoughtfully. "It's always been my policy to leave feelings at the edge of the court when I'm playing in a tournament. No matter what is going on in my personal life, when I'm on court, the sport comes first and I'm out there to play my best. Even if my opponent or partner is someone I don't like at all, or even one of my best friends, I don't let that affect how I play." Max nodded, that made sense. "You know, Max, it's basically like acting out there. No matter how you feel inside, whether you're tired or ill, or just having a bad day – you can't let that show in your performance. You put on a brave face and try your best, and that's how you succeed…"_

Max sighed as he recalled the wise words Liz's father had said to him all those years ago. He was right; the game was the most important thing and god knew, he and Liz had been a great doubles team – one of the best, even – and no doubt they could be again. And Todd was right, it _would_ be good publicity for him to partner Liz in the mixed after so long apart, but could he really bury all those old feelings of hurt and betrayal far enough inside to be able to occupy the same court space as her and not completely lose it?

To be honest, he had no idea, but as he shared a look with Nathan and pulled out his mobile to call his coach, he knew he would find out soon enough.

_TBC…_


	5. Chapter 4

**Part Four**

_**Friday June 8**__**th**__** 2007**_

_I am so pathetic, _mused Liz internally as she lay on the couch in her parents' living room and stared at the TV. _Look at me: It's nine pm on a Friday night and I'm spending the evening at my parents' house._

Although Liz had purchased a flat in Chelsea when she'd returned to the UK a few weeks ago, she'd been spending the weekends at her parents' house, just outside Guildford in Surrey. This weekend was no exception; despite Wimbledon being only two weeks away, Liz had to admit that right now, she felt more comfortable and relaxed at home with her parents in the countryside than at her newly furnished flat in the centre of London.

She let out a sigh and snuggled down into the cushions of her mother's sofa as she used the remote to flick through the channels. However, she just couldn't concentrate on what was happening on large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall opposite her. No, Liz only had one thing on her mind at the moment: the proposal that she enter the mixed doubles with Max as her partner.

To be honest, she had no idea what to do. She had to admit that a small part of her was eager to see Max again, but a much bigger part realised that seeing him again could be completely disastrous, not just emotionally, but it could seriously affect her playing abilities… and she really didn't need any kind of distraction to jeopardise her game right now; in fact, especially not now, when things were going so well for her on the court.

Just as Liz decided to settle for watching the latest episode of Ugly Betty on Channel 4, her mobile began to vibrate on the coffee table in front of her. She pressed the mute button on the remote and sat up to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Liz, it's David. Where are you?" came her coach's voice on the other end.

"I'm at my dad's," she replied tiredly. "But don't worry, I'll be driving back into London in the morning for our training session."

"That's not why I'm calling," he said. "There's been a development."

"Oh?" questioned Liz, having no idea what this could be a development in.

"It seems Max Evans has agreed to play in the mixed. With you," revealed David, sounding slightly hesitant about telling her.

"What?" she exclaimed, almost dropping the phone in surprise. "He's agreed?" she questioned incredulously; she'd imagined he would be even more against the idea than she was.

"Look, I don't know the details," David told her. "All I know is that thirty minutes ago, I got a call from the committee informing me that Max is in. So, now the ball's in your court, so to speak. What do you want to do?"

"Oh, God, I don't know," muttered Liz, her mind reeling.

How was it possible that Max had agreed to play with her? The last thing she knew of his opinion of her (via an implied suggestion in a magazine interview) was that he hated her and never wanted to see her face again. In all honesty, she couldn't understand why he would say yes to this.

"Alright, you don't have to make your decision right this minute," relented her coach. "Why don't you think about it tonight and let me know in the morning?"

"Um, well, okay," mumbled Liz, still slightly in shock at David's revelation. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then. Thanks for letting me know, David."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow morning, then," he replied. "Bright and early. Bye, Liz."

"Bye, David," replied Liz.

She hung up the phone, holding it to her chest as she sank back down against the cushions, letting her head fall back onto the armrest. What was she going to do?

"You okay?"

Liz lifted her head at the sound of her father's voice. He was standing in the doorway, watching her with a small smile on his face.

"Yeah…no…well, not really," admitted Liz after a pause.

"What's up, sweetie?" asked Jeff, as he entered the living room. Liz lifted her feet so he could take a seat on the sofa beside her.

Liz sighed, "I don't know what to do, Dad."

"About what?"

"David told me this morning that the committee want me to play in the mixed doubles for the tournament."

"Okay," said Jeff. "Well, do you think you're up to playing the doubles as well as the singles?"

"It's not just a question of that, Dad. They want me to play with Max," she told him softly.

"Oh," replied Jeff, looking slightly taken aback. "Right, well… Max, huh?"

"Yeah," nodded Liz.

"And how do you feel about that?"

"Well, this morning I told David there was no way I could do it. I mean, I haven't seen Max in almost two years and the last I heard he pretty much hated my guts. Playing together would just be a big, awkward… disaster."

"I can understand you feeling that way," nodded Jeff. "But what about now… how do you feel about it now?"

"This is the confusing part, Dad. David just called to tell me that apparently Max has agreed to play… and now I don't know what to do. I mean, why would he agree to this? I'm probably the last person he wants to be around right now."

"I don't know, Lizzie," her father told her softly, shifting so that he could put his arm around her. "Maybe he's decided that he's willing to put the past behind him for the sake of the game."

Liz let out a soft snort and shook her head, "I sincerely doubt that. After everything I've put him through… if I were him, I wouldn't want anything to do with me."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, sweetie. Alright, so you hurt Max, but –"

"I broke his heart, Dad! That's pretty much unforgivable."

"You hurt Max," continued Jeff gently. "And you're right, it is inexcusable, but remember, he doesn't know the whole story about why you left. If he did, I'm sure he wouldn't hate you as much as he claims to."

Liz sighed, "Maybe not, but that still doesn't explain why he would say yes to playing without knowing the truth first."

"Do you remember the day you first introduced me to Max?" said Jeff after a moment's pause. "At the US Open all those years ago."

"Yeah," muttered Liz softly.

"Do you remember what we talked about over dinner and what I told him about being successful in his career?"

Liz nodded, "You said that you didn't let your feelings toward your opponent or your partner affect your game."

"Exactly," replied Jeff. "Perhaps that is what Max is doing here. He knows that the two of you make a great doubles pair and perhaps he has decided to go through with it regardless of the history between you because he knows that you will play well together and he also knows what the publicity will do for him."

Liz mulled over her father's words for a couple of minutes before sighing, "Well, I guess if he can be willing to forget about the past on the court, then I can too. In the morning, I'll tell David that my I'll do it. After all, Max is the best doubles partner I've ever had…"

* * *

**_Tuesday October 23__rd__ 2001_**

"_Okay, you ready?" called Liz, bouncing a tennis ball on the ground a couple of times, as she got ready to serve._

"_Ready and waiting," replied Max, from the other side of the net. He shifted his weight from side to side in preparation for Liz's serve._

"_Alright, here we go," said Liz, as she bounced the ball one more time before throwing it in the air, bringing her racket back behind her head and smashing it down, sending the ball over the net at full speed._

_The two friends had become close over the past few weeks and after they'd returned to England from New York last month, they had begun practicing together on the courts once or twice a week._

_As Max sent the ball back over the net, he couldn't help but smile at how well he and Liz played together, despite being of the opposite sex and obviously having differing strengths in the game. Unsurprisingly, Max had a much more powerful serve than Liz, yet she was much lighter on her feet and could move a great deal faster than him, so although they were not evenly matched in ability, they could still play a good game._

_The rally continued for several more strokes, until Max got in a sneaky drop shot and won the point. They continued to play until Liz was ahead three games to two and they were ready to begin the next game, but an interruption came in the form of two newcomers, a brunet male and a blonde girl – well, they were newcomers to Liz; Max, however, broke into a grin when he noticed them standing at the corner of the court and instead of returning Liz's serve, he ran to greet them, leaving Liz looking bewildered, with no choice but to follow him._

_She watched Max exchange a hug and a pat on the back with the bloke and then shook hands with the girl, before placing a quick kiss on her cheek._

"_Liz," said Max, turning to her with a smile. "Meet my best friend, Nathan Thomas, and his girlfriend, Sarah Wilcox. Guys, this is Liz –"_

" – _Parker, I know," grinned Nathan as he stepped forward to shake Liz's hand. "Nice to meet you, Liz."_

"_Likewise," replied Liz with a smile, quickly warming to Max's friend. "And nice to meet you too, Sarah," she added, moving to shake her hand as well._

"_So, what are you guys doing here?" asked Max, after the introductions had been made._

"_Oh, well, since it's half-term this week, we thought we'd come down to the club for a quick game," said Nathan._

"_Half-term?" questioned Liz. "You work in a school?"_

"_Oh, um, no, not exactly," he replied. "I'm a tennis coach for the local area and most of my pupils are school kids. Since they have a week off this week, I decided to make the most of not having to teach them."_

"_Really, you're a coach? That's great," smiled Liz. "So, how do you and Max know each other?"_

"_Well, we actually went to school together… and took tennis lessons together when we were kids," supplied Max._

"_Yeah, except he was the good one who made it to the top ten in the country while I got stuck coaching the little kids," added Nathan._

"_You did not get stuck, you chose to do it" objected Max. "Admit it, you love coaching as much as I love playing in tournaments."_

"_Okay, you got me," smiled Nathan. "I really do love it. There's nothing like it."_

"_Good for you," congratulated Liz._

"_Thanks," he grinned. "So, anyway, we were watching you two play… what do you say Sarah and I join you in a game of mixed doubles?"_

_Liz glanced up at Max, who nodded at her in agreement. _

"_Sure, why not?" she agreed._

"_Okay, great," said Nathan, sharing a quick look with his girlfriend, before turning to Max with a cocky grin. "I'm gonna kick your arse, Evans."_

"_Oh, yeah, I bet," retorted Max. "Don't forget who you're playing against, Thomas."_

"_Bring it on," taunted Nathan._

"_Come on, guys," interrupted Sarah with a roll of her eyes, causing Liz to smirk. "Stop pissing around and let's started, okay?"_

"_Sure, hon," said Nathan quickly, obviously not wanting to get into trouble, and the four of them took their positions on the court._

_Max and Liz took the first serve and within moments, the game was underway. The two couples were pretty evenly matched, despite Liz and Max's obvious advantage, and the first set ended in a close tiebreak, which Nathan and Sarah eventually won._

_Although she'd lost the first set, Liz found herself smiling regardless. It seemed that Max was an excellent doubles player and the two of them were on fire on the court. Encouraged by their performance so far, Liz put her all into the second set and she and Max won it easily. Nathan and Sarah put up a fight in the third set, but a lucky shot from Max allowed he and Liz to break serve and they went on to win the friendly match_

_Afterwards, as they collected their things and began to head off the courts, Max stopped Liz, holding her back for a second._

"_Well, that was a pretty good match, don't you think?"_

"_Yeah, it was," she smiled. "It seems you and I play well together, Evans."_

"_I guess we do," he agreed. "Which is why I was thinking… why don't we team up as partners for mixed doubles?"_

"_You know, I've never really considered playing mixed doubles before," mused Liz. "But you know what? I think we could make a great team." Max grinned. "Alright, let's do it."_

"_Okay. Let's shake on it then," grinned Max, holding out a hand. Liz took it and they shook, sealing the deal…and thereby indicating the beginning of a great partnership…_

_TBC…_


	6. Chapter 5

**Part Five**

_**Monday June 11**__**th**__** 2007**_

_I don't think I can do this_ thought Max to himself, as he sat nervously on the wooden bench at the side of the practice courts. _This is just a really, really bad idea_.

Any minute now, Liz Parker was going to show up. He was actually going to be in her presence for the first time in almost two years… and he had absolutely no idea how he was going to handle it. Part of him was incensed – he'd been waiting for so long to finally have it out with her face to face and now this was his opportunity to do so. He could finally yell and scream at her; blame her for ruining his life and their life together. He could actually ask all those questions he'd been longing to hear the answers to ever since she'd left. Questions like… Why did she leave without saying a word? What had he done wrong? What gave her the right to mess with his life and his feelings like that? Why had she stopped loving him?

The worst part about this situation though, was that there was also a part of him that was almost looking forward to seeing her again. Despite how angry he had been, and to some extent still was, with her, and despite all his protests to the contrary, he'd never stopped loving her, not really. She'd once been the most beautiful woman in the world to him; she was the love of his life. He had to admit that he was somewhat curious about seeing her again after so long.

Max absentmindedly twirled his racket handle round and round in his hand, as he waited for Liz. He had no idea how today was going to go. He and Liz had once been the most favoured mixed doubles pair in tennis and while they had clicked from day one back then, who was to say that they could pull it off again now – after two years of not playing together? Would they even be able to spend that much time in each other's presence without something going terribly wrong?

He was saved from fretting internally any longer, when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye.

Liz Parker was here.

* * *

Liz sucked in a breath as she exited the clubhouse with David and noticed Max sitting on the bench beside one of the courts. It was like a shock to the system to see him in the flesh after so long and neither the TV and nor the magazines did him justice.

He was half-sitting, half-slumping on the wooden bench, his gaze fixed on the racket in his hands as it twirled around and around. From where she was standing, she couldn't tell if he was angry about something, or perhaps fed-up, or maybe he was simply mentally preparing for training. She didn't even want to entertain the idea that he might be tense because the two of them were about to meet again for the first time in so long – after all, it was very likely that he was still mad at her for leaving him.

As she and David made their way towards the practice court, Liz tried to mentally prepare herself for coming face-to-face with Max. What was she going to say to him? What _could_ she say to him that could even begin to make up for what she'd put him through? In all actuality, the only thing she could do was recall the first ever big tournament they'd played together as double partners, back in 2002, and hope that they might be able to recreate that level of play now, for Wimbledon 2007…

* * *

**_Saturday January 26__th__ 2002 – Australian Open, Melbourne_**

_Liz couldn't help the grin that spread across her face as Max executed a powerful shot over the net, winning the game. She almost couldn't believe how well their matches were going, especially considering that she and Max had only been training together for a couple of months… and now, here they were in of the Australian Open quarter-finals, one set up and four games to two up in the second. If they could just win the next couple of games, they would be through to the semis._

_Max gave her a high-five as they made their way off the court for the quick two-minute break between games._

"_Way to go, huh, Parker?" he grinned. _

"_I know," replied Liz as she took her seat and reached for a towel to wipe the sweat off her face with. It was so hot out here – approaching 40 degrees Celsius – and the extreme heat of the Australian summer only served to make playing tennis harder. "I can't believe we're doing so well."_

"_Oh, I can," replied Max airily. "I always knew we'd make a great team."_

"_I bet you did," chuckled Liz, certain that when they'd met, Max hadn't even entertained the idea of playing mixed doubles with her. _

"_Come on," said Max a moment later, before taking one last sip from his drinks bottle and placing it on the floor. "Our time is up. Let's go win this thing."_

_

* * *

_

"_Here you go," said Liz, as she took a seat beside Max in the hotel lounge and handed him a glass of champagne. "A celebratory drink."_

_They had won the quarterfinal match easily earlier that day – the final score against their opponents had been an impressive 6-2, 6-2, with no need for a third set. If truth be told, she and Max almost played better together than on their own in singles._

"_Um, Liz," Max started hesitantly. "Are you sure this is a good idea? We have to play again tomorrow afternoon."_

"_Oh, lighten up, would you, Max? It's just one glass to celebrate our win. It's not gonna do you any harm."_

_Max shook his head, "God, you must have been a handful when you were younger."_

_Liz's mouth dropped open. _

"_What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded, only half-seriously. Of course, she knew exactly what he meant. One more than one occasion, she'd been labelled a wild child – in fact, it was usually her father doing the labelling._

"_You know what it means, Lizzie," retorted Max._

"_Well, there's nothing wrong with having some fun every now and then," replied Liz, with a sip of her champagne._

"_I completely agree; all I'm saying is that it's not wise to get drunk on champagne the night before the semi-finals of a Grand Slam tournament."_

"_I know that," Liz rolled her eyes. "But we're not getting drunk, we're having one glass of champagne to celebrate our win today. You know, maybe it'll do you some good – loosen you up a bit."_

_Max narrowed his eyes, "Are you suggesting that I'm uptight?"_

_Liz looked at him with wide, yet not-so-innocent eyes, "All I'm saying is that you're only twenty, Max. Live a little."_

"_I live plenty, thank you very much," returned Max, as he tried to suppress a smile. Although she could be annoying at times (like right now, for example), he did rather enjoy their petty arguments. It made playing together all that more interesting._

"_Actually," murmured Liz thoughtfully. "Perhaps you do live a little after all… I noticed there was someone cheering you on at the side of the court this afternoon… a rather attractive blonde, in fact. And I also noticed you glancing her way more than once during the match. Care to fill me in?"_

"_Liz," Max rolled his eyes, embarrassed that she had noticed._

"_Max," she returned, with a grin._

"_Fine," he sighed. "Her name is Jessica. We met briefly at that challenger tournament a couple of months ago, you know, the one you couldn't make, and we spent some time together. Anyway, we happened to bump into each other here a couple of days ago; Her brother is playing in the junior tournaments."_

"_Oh? And are there any… possibilities there for the two of you?"_

"_I don't know," he shifted uncomfortably._

"_Well, do you think she's shaggable?" asked Liz, bluntly._

"_Liz!" exclaimed Max at her inappropriate question._

"_What? I'm just asking," she shrugged._

"_Okay, that's it," stated Max. "We're not talking about this any more."_

"_Spoilsport," pouted Liz._

_Max rolled his eyes, "Just drink your champagne, Liz…"_

_

* * *

_

Liz shook her head as she remembered the conversation she and Max had shared that night. It seemed so long ago that they had been that comfortable together and could joke around like that. Now, though, so much had happened that just the thought of sharing the same space as him made her uncomfortable and left her feeling awkward.

As she approached the bench Max was sitting on, she sucked in a steadying breath and steeled herself for the inevitable confrontation.

"Hi, Max."

* * *

Max stood up as he heard the soft, female voice and saw Liz come to a stop a couple of metres from him. His breath caught in his throat as he took in her appearance. If possible, she looked even more beautiful than he remembered… and definitely more grown up than before. She was twenty-three years old now and looked every bit of it. Her shiny, dark hair was now shoulder-length and glimmered with reddish highlights, which only accentuated her eyes, and although she still possessed that petite, athletic figure, she was definitely more curvaceous than she'd been two years ago.

However, it only took a moment for his shock at seeing her again to dissipate and for anger to fill its place. His eyes narrowed and he set his jaw as he greeted her.

"Liz."

"So, um…" she seemed nervous. "H-how are you?"

He raised an eyebrow. How was he? That was all she could say to him? No apology, no explanations for her sudden disappearance from his life… just 'how are you?'

"Cut the crap, Liz, okay?" he snapped, his defence mechanism kicking in. "I'm not here to exchange pleasantries with you. I'm here to play tennis."

If Liz was taken aback by his harsh words, she didn't show it. Instead, she simply nodded, placed her sports bag down on the other end of the bench and pulled out her racket and a tube of tennis balls, setting them down on the bench.

"Okay, then. Let's play."

He watched as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail, then gathered up her things and headed onto the court. He sucked in a steadying breath and then glanced at her coach, who simply quirked an eyebrow and jerked his head in Liz's direction, indicating that Max get on with it and get out there. With a sigh, he grabbed his racket and moved to join Liz on the court.

Oh, this was definitely going to be a fun morning.

_TBC…_


	7. Chapter 6

**Part Six**

_**Wednesday June 13**__**th**__** 2007**_

"Okay, guys, let's try that again," called David from the other side of the net during Max and Liz's practice session.

Liz nodded her consent, but as she did so, she heard a slightly impatient sigh coming from behind her. Closing her eyes briefly, she turned round and shot her partner a glare, which he readily returned. She rolled her eyes and turned back to face their coach. What was his problem? He'd been the one to agree to this first; yet now that they were training together, he was acting as if this was the last place he wanted to be.

Granted, she knew that his current behaviour was probably her fault and that she did still owe him a multitude of explanations, but it wasn't that simple. She just wasn't ready to talk with him about what had happened to their relationship, and what he obviously couldn't understand right now was that it was hard enough just being here, on the same court as him, trying to play tennis with him again, without bringing up all their issues from the past.

Despite Max's obvious reluctance to keep working on their movement across the court and doubles footwork techniques, the two of them managed to accomplish another hour of training, although by the end of it, Liz was left wondering whether this whole mixed doubles thing was entirely worth the effort.

Even after two-and-a-half days of playing together, Liz had no idea how to act around her former lover. He seemed so closed off and unapproachable right now – something he'd never been towards her before – and she was at a loss for what to say. At one time, they'd been able to talk about anything and everything; no holds barred. But now, now they were like strangers… strangers who apparently disliked each other with a passion, at least from Max's side, anyway.

"Okay, guys, take a break," called David, pulling Liz out of her thoughts.

She nodded and headed to the side of the court, grabbing a towel and a bottle of water. Max, however, gave her a hard stare and deliberately strode over to the bench on the other side, despite the fact that, apart from his water bottle, all his belongings were still lying on her bench.

Liz sighed. This was all just a really bad idea. Why had she ever agreed to it? And for that matter, why on Earth had had Max? Honestly, who cared about publicity and making a good impression on the press, if all it was going to bring was awkwardness and heartbreak to the players?

She'd tried a couple of times to start a conversation with him after they'd finished training for the day, but he'd simply ignored her and walked straight off the court. There was a tension present between them that had never, ever been there before and it almost made Liz wish she'd never decided to make a comeback at all. She'd been so stupid to believe that just because Max had been the first to agree to play in the mixed, he was willing to put the past behind him.

If only she could just talk to him like she used to be able to…

* * *

**_Friday March 14__th__ 2002 – London_**

_There was a knock at the door and Liz ceased her frantic rush around her flat for a moment to just stare at the door in exasperation. He was early and she still hadn't found her purse… or her shoes… or her cardigan. _

"_Come on, Liz!" called Max through the door. "You said you were going to be ready this time."_

"_Yeah, well, I might have been if you weren't…" she glanced at the clock on the wall. "Fifteen minutes early."_

"_Hey, that's not entirely my fault," he protested. "For some unknown reason, the tube was on time this morning – it was a very rare occurrence."_

"_Now, that is a miracle," muttered Liz, under her breath, as she bent down to search under the sofa and succeeded on hitting her head on the coffee table. "Oww!"_

"_Liz, what are you doing in there?" called Max again._

"_Looking for my purse… and my shoes… and stuff," she returned, her annoyance obvious in her tone._

"_Why don't you let me in and I'll help you look, okay?"_

"_Fine," Liz muttered and stood up to open the door, bracing herself for his reaction to her appearance._

_She heard a sharp intake of breath, before, "Bloody hell, Liz, you look terrible! What did you get up to last night?" And there it was._

"_None of your damn business," she snapped, irritated by the disapproving look in his eyes. "I am allowed to have fun once in a while, you know."_

"_Yeah, well, there's fun and then there's going out clubbing three nights a week… and bringing strange men back to your flat" he retorted, eyeing several empty cans of beer and two pint glasses on the coffee table. "We're professional sportspeople, we don't have the freedom of busy social lives."_

"_Just stop with the lecture, okay, Max?" sighed Liz. "I'm hungover enough as it is, I don't need you getting on your high horse about my personal life."_

_Max's expression softened, "I'm just trying to look out for you, Liz. You're my partner, and as your partner, I have an obligation to look out for you. I don't want you to have to pull out of a tournament or a match because you've overdone the partying, okay?"_

_She nodded slowly, "Okay, I get it. I'll be more careful in future. But right now, I need you to help my find my things so we can get out of here."_

_Max rolled his eyes, but smiled regardless, and set about searching through her apartment for her shoes._

_

* * *

_

"_So, what exactly _did_ you get up to last night?" questioned Max later, as they strolled across the Millennium Bridge in Central London. "'Cause you've been pretty elusive all day, and you were fine at practice yesterday, so I can only guess that whatever happened last night is what's distracting you now."_

"_I –" Liz sighed, and came to a stop in the middle of the bridge, resting her arms on the silver railings as she looked down over the Thames. After a moment, she lifted her head to face Max. "Does it really matter?"_

"_It does if it's got you acting this uneasy today," he replied, resting his arms on the railings beside her. "What's wrong?"_

_Liz thought for a moment, before speaking again, "Last night, Maria and I… you know Maria? My friend from school?" Max nodded. "Well, she and I went clubbing in Bar Rumba last night and we got a bit drunk…" At Max's suspicious look, she relented, "Okay, we got very drunk… and we started talking to some blokes at the bar…"_

"_And?" asked Max, expectantly._

"_Well, it turned out we knew one of them, it was a guy called Matt and he went to school with us in Surrey." She paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts, "Anyway, we got to talking and he told me that he'd fancied me when we were younger… actually, he told me that he still fancied me now."_

_Max raised his eyebrows, "So, what happened?"_

"_Well, I was really flattered by the attention and I'd already had way too much to drink to think rationally, and even though I hadn't seen him in years, I-I pulled him right there in the middle of the club… and then I invited him back to my flat and we…slept together… and now I feel really awful about it."_

_Max looked a little confused, "Why do you feel so bad about it? No offence, but you've been in similar situations before and you've felt fine about them afterwards."_

"_Because I led him on, Max," admitted Liz suddenly. "Even when we were at school, I never saw him as anything but a friend, but last night when he told me how he felt, I used it to my advantage and let him believe that I liked him too. And now he's going to expect more from me and right now, I don't have more to give. God, I'm so stupid!" she exclaimed, burying her face in her arms._

"_Hey, you're not stupid," murmured Max, shifting as that he could slip a comforting arm around her shoulders. "You just made a mistake."_

"_I used him, Max," she protested, feeling disgusted with herself. "That's not just a mistake."_

"_Okay, so you were wrong; but, Liz, we all do things we regret sometimes. It doesn't make us bad people."_

"_We all do, huh? When was the last time you used a girl just for sex, Max?" she retorted sarcastically, shrugging his arm away from her shoulders. _

"_The fifteenth of May, 1998," he replied unexpectedly._

"_What?" Liz's lifted her head in surprise._

"_I was seventeen and feeling all this pressure from everyone to experiment with… well, everything, really," he admitted softly, staring out over the water. "I was at a party one night… my friends were all on the pull, and they were trying to get me to join in. They wouldn't shut up about it, so in the end, I just gave in and approached this really pretty girl. One thing led to another and I woke up the next morning with a major hangover and a stranger in my bed. It turned out she was looking for more than one night and I just wasn't in a position to give her that. I regret that night more than I regret anything else I've ever done."_

"_Oh," murmured Liz, lost for words._

_Max nodded, "You're definitely not the only one to have been in this situation before."_

_A smile tugged at her lips, "We're quite a pair, aren't we?"_

"_We certainly are," smiled Max, slipping his arm around her again as they began walking. "Look, I wouldn't worry too much about this guy… Matt. If he calls you, just be honest about not wanting a relationship and you should be fine."_

"_Thanks, partner," smiled Liz, gratefully._

"_No problem, partner," returned Max as they reached the other side of the bridge. "You up for an afternoon of fun now, Ms. Parker?"_

"_I think I can just about manage it, Mr. Evans," she replied, her heart feeling much lighter than it had been all morning._

_Max was turning into a great friend… and doubles partner too, of course._

_

* * *

_

After their daily practice was over, Liz watched, for the third day in a row, as Max put away his rackets, grabbed his stuff and walked straight off the court without even so much as a glance in her direction. She shook her head sadly. She knew why he was so mad at her… he wanted an explanation from her. He wanted the truth. But the problem was that she just wasn't ready to admit the reasons behind her sudden reappearance… to him, or to anyone else at this particular time. And he was just going to have to deal with the fact that she wasn't going to be coming clean anytime soon.

_TBC…_


	8. Chapter 7

**Part Six**

_**Wednesday June 13**__**th**__** 2007**_

"Okay, guys, let's try that again," called David from the other side of the net during Max and Liz's practice session.

Liz nodded her consent, but as she did so, she heard a slightly impatient sigh coming from behind her. Closing her eyes briefly, she turned round and shot her partner a glare, which he readily returned. She rolled her eyes and turned back to face their coach. What was his problem? He'd been the one to agree to this first; yet now that they were training together, he was acting as if this was the last place he wanted to be.

Granted, she knew that his current behaviour was probably her fault and that she did still owe him a multitude of explanations, but it wasn't that simple. She just wasn't ready to talk with him about what had happened to their relationship, and what he obviously couldn't understand right now was that it was hard enough just being here, on the same court as him, trying to play tennis with him again, without bringing up all their issues from the past.

Despite Max's obvious reluctance to keep working on their movement across the court and doubles footwork techniques, the two of them managed to accomplish another hour of training, although by the end of it, Liz was left wondering whether this whole mixed doubles thing was entirely worth the effort.

Even after two-and-a-half days of playing together, Liz had no idea how to act around her former lover. He seemed so closed off and unapproachable right now – something he'd never been towards her before – and she was at a loss for what to say. At one time, they'd been able to talk about anything and everything; no holds barred. But now, now they were like strangers… strangers who apparently disliked each other with a passion, at least from Max's side, anyway.

"Okay, guys, take a break," called David, pulling Liz out of her thoughts.

She nodded and headed to the side of the court, grabbing a towel and a bottle of water. Max, however, gave her a hard stare and deliberately strode over to the bench on the other side, despite the fact that, apart from his water bottle, all his belongings were still lying on her bench.

Liz sighed. This was all just a really bad idea. Why had she ever agreed to it? And for that matter, why on Earth had had Max? Honestly, who cared about publicity and making a good impression on the press, if all it was going to bring was awkwardness and heartbreak to the players?

She'd tried a couple of times to start a conversation with him after they'd finished training for the day, but he'd simply ignored her and walked straight off the court. There was a tension present between them that had never, ever been there before and it almost made Liz wish she'd never decided to make a comeback at all. She'd been so stupid to believe that just because Max had been the first to agree to play in the mixed, he was willing to put the past behind him.

If only she could just talk to him like she used to be able to…

* * *

**_Friday March 14__th__ 2002 – London_**

_There was a knock at the door and Liz ceased her frantic rush around her flat for a moment to just stare at the door in exasperation. He was early and she still hadn't found her purse… or her shoes… or her cardigan. _

"_Come on, Liz!" called Max through the door. "You said you were going to be ready this time."_

"_Yeah, well, I might have been if you weren't…" she glanced at the clock on the wall. "Fifteen minutes early."_

"_Hey, that's not entirely my fault," he protested. "For some unknown reason, the tube was on time this morning – it was a very rare occurrence."_

"_Now, that is a miracle," muttered Liz, under her breath, as she bent down to search under the sofa and succeeded on hitting her head on the coffee table. "Oww!"_

"_Liz, what are you doing in there?" called Max again._

"_Looking for my purse… and my shoes… and stuff," she returned, her annoyance obvious in her tone._

"_Why don't you let me in and I'll help you look, okay?"_

"_Fine," Liz muttered and stood up to open the door, bracing herself for his reaction to her appearance._

_She heard a sharp intake of breath, before, "Bloody hell, Liz, you look terrible! What did you get up to last night?" And there it was._

"_None of your damn business," she snapped, irritated by the disapproving look in his eyes. "I am allowed to have fun once in a while, you know."_

"_Yeah, well, there's fun and then there's going out clubbing three nights a week… and bringing strange men back to your flat" he retorted, eyeing several empty cans of beer and two pint glasses on the coffee table. "We're professional sportspeople, we don't have the freedom of busy social lives."_

"_Just stop with the lecture, okay, Max?" sighed Liz. "I'm hungover enough as it is, I don't need you getting on your high horse about my personal life."_

_Max's expression softened, "I'm just trying to look out for you, Liz. You're my partner, and as your partner, I have an obligation to look out for you. I don't want you to have to pull out of a tournament or a match because you've overdone the partying, okay?"_

_She nodded slowly, "Okay, I get it. I'll be more careful in future. But right now, I need you to help my find my things so we can get out of here."_

_Max rolled his eyes, but smiled regardless, and set about searching through her apartment for her shoes._

_

* * *

_

"_So, what exactly _did_ you get up to last night?" questioned Max later, as they strolled across the Millennium Bridge in Central London. "'Cause you've been pretty elusive all day, and you were fine at practice yesterday, so I can only guess that whatever happened last night is what's distracting you now."_

"_I –" Liz sighed, and came to a stop in the middle of the bridge, resting her arms on the silver railings as she looked down over the Thames. After a moment, she lifted her head to face Max. "Does it really matter?"_

"_It does if it's got you acting this uneasy today," he replied, resting his arms on the railings beside her. "What's wrong?"_

_Liz thought for a moment, before speaking again, "Last night, Maria and I… you know Maria? My friend from school?" Max nodded. "Well, she and I went clubbing in Bar Rumba last night and we got a bit drunk…" At Max's suspicious look, she relented, "Okay, we got very drunk… and we started talking to some blokes at the bar…"_

"_And?" asked Max, expectantly._

"_Well, it turned out we knew one of them, it was a guy called Matt and he went to school with us in Surrey." She paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts, "Anyway, we got to talking and he told me that he'd fancied me when we were younger… actually, he told me that he still fancied me now."_

_Max raised his eyebrows, "So, what happened?"_

"_Well, I was really flattered by the attention and I'd already had way too much to drink to think rationally, and even though I hadn't seen him in years, I-I pulled him right there in the middle of the club… and then I invited him back to my flat and we…slept together… and now I feel really awful about it."_

_Max looked a little confused, "Why do you feel so bad about it? No offence, but you've been in similar situations before and you've felt fine about them afterwards."_

"_Because I led him on, Max," admitted Liz suddenly. "Even when we were at school, I never saw him as anything but a friend, but last night when he told me how he felt, I used it to my advantage and let him believe that I liked him too. And now he's going to expect more from me and right now, I don't have more to give. God, I'm so stupid!" she exclaimed, burying her face in her arms._

"_Hey, you're not stupid," murmured Max, shifting as that he could slip a comforting arm around her shoulders. "You just made a mistake."_

"_I used him, Max," she protested, feeling disgusted with herself. "That's not just a mistake."_

"_Okay, so you were wrong; but, Liz, we all do things we regret sometimes. It doesn't make us bad people."_

"_We all do, huh? When was the last time you used a girl just for sex, Max?" she retorted sarcastically, shrugging his arm away from her shoulders. _

"_The fifteenth of May, 1998," he replied unexpectedly._

"_What?" Liz's lifted her head in surprise._

"_I was seventeen and feeling all this pressure from everyone to experiment with… well, everything, really," he admitted softly, staring out over the water. "I was at a party one night… my friends were all on the pull, and they were trying to get me to join in. They wouldn't shut up about it, so in the end, I just gave in and approached this really pretty girl. One thing led to another and I woke up the next morning with a major hangover and a stranger in my bed. It turned out she was looking for more than one night and I just wasn't in a position to give her that. I regret that night more than I regret anything else I've ever done."_

"_Oh," murmured Liz, lost for words._

_Max nodded, "You're definitely not the only one to have been in this situation before."_

_A smile tugged at her lips, "We're quite a pair, aren't we?"_

"_We certainly are," smiled Max, slipping his arm around her again as they began walking. "Look, I wouldn't worry too much about this guy… Matt. If he calls you, just be honest about not wanting a relationship and you should be fine."_

"_Thanks, partner," smiled Liz, gratefully._

"_No problem, partner," returned Max as they reached the other side of the bridge. "You up for an afternoon of fun now, Ms. Parker?"_

"_I think I can just about manage it, Mr. Evans," she replied, her heart feeling much lighter than it had been all morning._

_Max was turning into a great friend… and doubles partner too, of course._

_

* * *

_

After their daily practice was over, Liz watched, for the third day in a row, as Max put away his rackets, grabbed his stuff and walked straight off the court without even so much as a glance in her direction. She shook her head sadly. She knew why he was so mad at her… he wanted an explanation from her. He wanted the truth. But the problem was that she just wasn't ready to admit the reasons behind her sudden reappearance… to him, or to anyone else at this particular time. And he was just going to have to deal with the fact that she wasn't going to be coming clean anytime soon.

_TBC…_


	9. Chapter 8

**Part Eight**

_**Monday June 18**__**th**__** 2007**_

"Okay, guys," said David, addressing Liz and Max on the court as they warmed up. "Before we get down to it this morning, I have some news to break to you."

"What news?" asked Liz, slightly apprehensively.

"It seems the press has got wind of your partnership for the championships this year and the BBC wants to interview the two of you," revealed David. "This afternoon."

"What?" questioned Liz sharply. She stole a glance at Max, who was looking less than pleased at her coach's announcement. "Um, you know, I don't think that's such a good idea at the moment."

To her left, Max made a kind of spluttering sound before covering up his response of "Too right," with a cough. Liz shrugged and raised an eyebrow at David in a 'See what I mean?' gesture.

"Look, I know that you two are not exactly on… speaking terms… these days, but if you want to get through the next three weeks without causing rumours and speculation, you're gonna have to come to some kind of compromise. You're gonna have a lot of contact with the press during the tournament, so I suggest you put whatever it is that's going on behind you and work together off the court as well as on."

"Fine," muttered Max in reply, without looking at Liz. "We'll do the interview. What time and where?"

Liz's head snapped up at his words, and she looked round at Max in surprise. He'd barely said two words to her in a week, and now he was willing to cooperate? What had changed?

David smiled, "The interview's at four. Conference room B in the All England Club."

"Okay, we'll be there," she agreed.

"Great. Why don't you finish warming up and I'll call the club to let them know it's on."

David pulled out his mobile, dialling as he walked off the court.

Meanwhile, Liz turned to Max, "Well, I guess we need to work out our interview strategy for this afternoon, then."

"Guess so," replied Max shortly, although his eyes seemed to linger on her face before he turned away to grab his racket.

Liz shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, watching him in puzzlement when he moved away from her. He seemed slightly different this morning; of course the attitude towards her was still present and he was barely paying attention to her as per usual, but something was different today and she had no idea what.

* * *

"Max, Liz, great to see you both again," smiled Sue Barker, as Max and Liz entered the BBC sports studio. "And great to have you back on court again, Liz."

"Thanks, Sue," smiled Liz politely, as she took a seat beside Max on the interviewing sofa. "It's great to be back."

"It certainly is," smiled Sue. "Don't you agree, Max?"

Liz glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, awaiting his reaction. _Please be nice, Max_, she begged silently.

"Sure, it's great," he replied, with a smile that seemed natural, but Liz could tell it was forced. She tried not to roll her eyes at the overuse of the word _great_ so far in the interview.

"So, it's been a long time since you last played together. How's the training going?" Sue started the interview with a safe question, for which Liz was glad. Of course she knew that the inevitable questions about her sudden disappearance and their relationship were bound to come up, but at least she was starting with the easy stuff.

"Oh, it's going really well," she replied, when it was obvious that Max wasn't going to. "Almost like old times."

"Well, perhaps this means the two of you will be heading straight for the final, then. What do you think, Max?"

"Well, I don't want to jinx it, but we're definitely getting back on track. So, fingers crossed for the final," he replied, not a hint of his earlier bad attitude in his friendly tone. Liz silently thanked the Lord that he wasn't being difficult today.

Sue nodded, "And with your recent success, I hear you could well be heading for the men's final this year, too, Max. So, how does it feel to be the most hyped male player for this year's tournament? You've had some disappointments at Wimbledon in the past."

Max simply smiled, "I've been training exceptionally hard for this, and having won the Australian and French Open titles already this year, I'm confident that I can play my best at Wimbledon this year, too."

"That's great to hear. I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you," replied Max, with a nod, as Sue turned her attention to Liz.

"Now, Liz, you've been out of the game for almost two years," she started.

"Yes, I have," she nodded, slightly wary of where the questions might be going.

"And since then, we've had a influx of good female players. How do you think you'll fare against these younger women?"

"Well, Sue, although I've been out of training for a while, I've been working hard on my techniques over the last few weeks and by next week, I'm positive I shall be back to my old standard and ready to take on anything the tournament throws at me."

"That's good to hear," smiled Sue. "But now, I'm afraid I have to get down to the questions everybody's been dying to know the answers to for the last two years…"

Both Liz and Max shifted uncomfortably on the sofa, careful not to look at each other. They knew what was coming.

"… Can you tell us what exactly happened to break up our favourite couple just a few weeks after you publicly announced your engagement? Why did you leave, Liz and where have you been for the past two years? We're all dying to know."

"Um," Liz fumbled for words. How was she supposed to answer that question on national TV? Only a handful of people knew the truth about her disappearance and she wasn't even ready to tell Max about it, let alone the rest of the world. "I–"

"Sorry, I'm afraid that's going to have to remain private for now," cut in Max, causing Liz to turn to him in surprise for the second time that day. He didn't look at her, but continued to speak to Sue. "Liz and I are trying to work things through right now and until we've done that, it's going to have to remain between us."

Sue looked between the two of them, as Liz nodded in agreement.

"Fair enough, I suppose," she relented. "Well, let's move on, shall we? Max, what do you feel about your chances in Wimbledon 2007…?"

The interview continued for another twenty minutes, during which time, Liz noticed that Sue Barker was careful to steer clear of any topic involving their relationship, which she was glad of. As they exited the BBC studios, she turned to Max.

"Thank you for the save in there," she said softly. "I'm sorry, I'm just not ready to talk about what happened."

Max shrugged, avoiding her eyes, "It's what I do, isn't it? Save you when you get into a tight spot?"

Liz frowned for a moment, before she understood what he meant. He was referring to one of their first interviews as double partners, where she'd been put on the spot and he'd had to step in and save her that time too…

* * *

**_Tuesday 28__th__ May 2002 – French Open, Paris_**

"_Good evening, Max, Liz," greeted Bob Ackerman, an interviewer from Tennis World magazine. "Nice to have you here."_

"_Thank you, Bob," smiled Liz, shaking his hand warmly._

"_Thanks," said Max, also holding out his hand in greeting, before they all took their seats in the small meeting room in their Paris hotel._

"_Well, let's get started, shall we?" suggested Bob, as he arranged his notes on his lap and switched on his Dictaphone. "First off, how are you both?"_

_Max and Liz shared a smile, before Liz replied, "We're doing great, thanks."_

"_That's good to know. I'm sure you must be pleased with your singles victories in the first round this morning."_

"_Oh, yes, definitely," said Liz, giving Max another happy smile._

"_Of course," he added. "And looking forward to the next round. It's our intention to remain in this tournament for as long as possible."_

"_Understandable," nodded Bob, smiling as he made a couple of notes. "And your doubles matches? I assume you've been training hard for those as well."_

"_We have," nodded Liz, and Max agreed. "After losing in the semi-finals at the Australian Open in January, we're more determined than ever to make it to the final here in Paris."_

"_Well, then, I wish you the best of luck."_

"_Thank you," smiled Max._

"_Okay, so you both started your careers as singles players. Can I ask what made you decide to play mixed doubles together?"_

"_Certainly," said Liz. "We were actually practicing together back in October last year and a good friend of Max's suggested we play a game of mixed doubles against he and his partner. We agreed and found that we played really well together, so afterwards, Max came up with the idea of teaming up in the mixed doubles and I guess the rest is history."_

"_Yes, you certainly surprised us all by reaching the semi-finals of your first big tournament together," Bob told them._

"_Yeah, it was a surprise to us, too," admitted Max. "We had no idea at the time how good we'd be together."_

"_Moving onto a slightly more personal question: Do you think there's a particular reason you make such a great doubles pair? There have been several rumours going around lately that the two of you might be involved with each other. Is there any truth to those rumours?" asked their interviewer with obvious interest._

_Max turned to Liz with raised eyebrow and a smirk before answering the question, "Not at all, Bob. Sorry to disappoint you, but Liz and I are simply great friends and doubles partners. Nothing more than that."_

"_Well, I suppose that settles it, then; and perhaps I can ask about the recent tabloid stories involving you, Liz? Is there any truth in the statement that you have recently been linked to a number of young London bachelors? It's well documented that you are something of a wild-child; do you find that your social life affects your game in any way? And what does your father think about your off-court exploits?"_

_Liz grew tense, "I'm not sure those are relevant questions here, Bob."_

"_I'm only reiterating what has been said before, Liz. In fact, I'd like to get your opinion on the reports that you may have an alcohol problem."_

_Liz froze in her seat. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Max sit up, watching her with concern._

"_Look," he turned to the interviewer. "Liz is right; this isn't relevant to the French Open or to our doubles partnership. What Liz does in her own time is her business and no one else's."_

_Liz shot Max a grateful look, before facing Bob Ackerman once more, with a stony expression on her face. _

"_I'm sorry. I can't do this," she announced, rising from her seat as she prepared to leave the room. Max reached forward and caught her arm, but she shrugged him off and strode to the door. "I'm afraid you'll have to finish without me. Goodbye."_

_She left the meeting room and angrily headed for her hotel bedroom. Once inside, she began to pace, in an attempt to calm down. How dare the press pry into her personal life like that? Max was right; it was none of their business!_

_Ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Liz stopped her pacing to look through the peephole and then open the door to let Max in._

"_Are you okay?" he questioned gently._

"_Yeah, I think so," she sighed. "Thank you for sticking up for me in there. Although, I guess I just overreacted."_

_Max shook his head. "You didn't overreact; he shouldn't have asked you such personal questions. We were there to talk about our tennis game, not our social lives," he said, as he pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry about it, okay? Let's just forget all about the interview and concentrate on playing well over the next two weeks."_

"_Okay," nodded Liz, as she extracted herself from his arms. "Do you feel like watching a film with me tonight? They're showing some English-language movies on pay-per-view tonight."_

"_Sounds good," agreed Max. "As long as there's no tennis involved."_

"_You got it," said Liz, with a nod, turning on the TV as they got settled on her bed, ready for a night of relaxation…_

_

* * *

_

Liz was pulled from her memories by the sound of Max calling her name. She looked up to find him waiting impatiently at the open door of a taxi.

"Liz, are you coming or what?" he questioned in exasperation. "I have places to be tonight."

"Yes, I'm coming," she replied, her heart sinking as the memory of Max, her best friend, faded and was replaced by Max, the moody bastard.

Somehow, she didn't think this Grand Slam was going to be as great an experience as the French Open had been back in 2002.

_TBC_…


	10. Chapter 9

**Part Nine**

_**Wednesday June 20**__**th**__** 2007**_

Max arrived at the courts at two p.m. to find Liz still doing her singles training with David. Yesterday morning, they'd arranged to take some time off from practice together so that he and Liz could concentrate on singles for the rest of the day and the following morning. The suggestion, put forward by David, worked fine from Max's point of view, since there had been a new awkwardness between them after the BBC interview on Monday afternoon and he was glad for the extra space and time away from her.

Now, however, as he approached the court she was playing on, he found he could barely take his eyes off her. She was bouncing from one foot to the other, eagerly awaiting David's shot over the net, her hair swaying from side-to-side in its bouncy ponytail. Max drank in her appearance; her eyes sparkled with determination and enjoyment as she took a swing and gracefully returned the ball back over the net.

She hadn't noticed his presence yet, so Max took the opportunity to stand back and watch her play. A small involuntary smile graced his lips as he admired her technique and her graceful movements. It was something he had been unable to do during their doubles training.

A couple of minutes later, David called for a break and as she walked over to the bench to grab a drink, Liz finally noticed him standing there. Max quickly straightened up and moved to place his tennis bag next to hers on the bench.

"Hi," he greeted with a little more warmth than had been in his voice for the past week and a half. "You were playing well out there."

"Oh," said Liz in surprise. She obviously wasn't used to him being nice to her. "Um, thanks."

She watched him in confusion as he bent down to retrieve his rackets from his bag, but the arrival of David at the side of the court interrupted the moment.

"Afternoon, Max," greeted Liz's coach.

"Afternoon, David," replied Max, as he stood up.

"Are you two ready to get started or do you need a breather first, Liz?" questioned David in a friendly tone.

"Just give me a couple more minutes and I'll be ready," replied Liz, as she picked up her towel and ran it over her face to absorb the sweat.

"Okay, no problem," smiled David, before addressing Max. "You fancy taking some practice shots while Liz is catching her breath?"

"Sure," he agreed easily, following David onto the court.

He and David spent the next few minutes knocking up, until Liz stood up to join them on the court and they began their daily training. However, after just thirty minutes, Max noticed that Liz seemed much more tired than usual. At first, he chalked it up to the fact that she had spent the morning doing singles training with David, but as they continued to play, he realised that she'd only played the same amount of tennis as she did when they trained together. Becoming slightly worried when she missed the third shot in a row, he quietly asked her if she was alright. She shrugged him off with an 'I'm fine,' and a slightly tense expression, but when she stumbled a few minutes later and almost went crashing to the ground, Max called for a break.

When David agreed, Liz sighed and rubbed her neck as she made her way off the court and took a seat on the bench. With a slight frown, Max followed her and slid onto the seat beside her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked hesitantly.

"I'm fine, just a bit tired," she told him. "And what's it to you anyway?"

"Well, you're my partner in this tournament and if you're not fit to play next week, then that's kind of my concern, isn't it?" he returned.

"Who said anything about not being fit?" retorted Liz. "I'm having a bad day today, alright? It doesn't mean I'm pulling out of the tournament!"

"Fine," sighed Max. "I was just trying to help."

They sat in silence for a moment or two, until Max realised how thirsty he was and he reached down between them to grab his water bottle from the ground. However, Liz seemed to choose that exact moment to reach down for her drink too and first their arms and then their hands brushed against each other. Max's head immediately snapped up, the contact with her skin like a shock to the system and their eyes met. Max was drawn into her gaze and with it came memories of a certain time several years ago…

* * *

**_Monday July 1__st__ 2002 – Wimbledon 2002, London_**

"_Hey, Liz, are you in there?" questioned Max, as he knocked on Liz's hotel room door. "Are you okay?"_

_He'd been worried about her ever since she'd disappeared off court at the end of her fourth round match that afternoon. She'd been off her game today and it had definitely showed in her playing. Since he'd already played his fourth round earlier in the day, Max had chosen to watch from the VIP box at the side of the court and it was obvious that something was up with Liz. She'd missed all the important shots and had fumbled over her serves, committing two double faults during the final set. Although she'd put up a fight and kept the match going for three sets, eventually it seemed as though the pressure just became too much and in the end, she'd lost._

_After the match, he'd waited for her to emerge from the dressing room so he could console her, but she'd never appeared and after waiting several minutes, he'd realised she must have slipped out unnoticed. So he went looking for her… which was how he'd ended up knocking on her hotel room door at this very moment._

"_Liz?" he questioned again._

"_What?" her annoyed, but muffled tone floated through the door. "Just bugger off, Max, okay?"_

"_I just wanted to see if you were okay," he called out to her. "Can I come in?"_

_There was a pause and a faint sigh, before, "Fine, come in."_

_Max turned the handle and gently pushed the door open so he could slip inside the room. However, as he moved to close the door, the sight in front of him made his heart sink. Liz was sitting on the side of her bed, her head down and her hands in her lap. Her shoulders were shaking slightly and she was holding a half-shredded, soggy tissue in her hands._

"_Hey," he murmured as he quickly crossed the room and slid onto the bed next to her. "What's wrong?"_

_Liz just shrugged and shook her head, but Max could clearly see the tears sliding down her cheeks. _

"_Hey," he said again, this time sliding an arm around her shoulders and urging her close. "You're crying."_

"_God, what's the matter with me, Max?" she muttered. "Everything's just going wrong and I don't know how to fix it."_

"_What's going wrong?" he wondered softly, as he gently moved his hand up and down her arm in a comforting gesture. "Apart from this afternoon, you've played some brilliant tennis over the last few days. Okay, so you had a bad day today; we all do occasionally, but it's not the end of the world."_

"_It's not just that," she sniffled. "It's everything… my training schedule, the pressure of Wimbledon… the press."_

"_Oh," he murmured in sudden understanding. The more popular Liz had become lately, the more juicy stories the papers had been printing about her personal life. Just a couple of days ago, 'The Sun' printed an exclusive kiss-and-tell, from a man who claimed to have spent the night with her a few weeks ago. Needless to say, the story hadn't exactly shown Liz in the best light. "You know, Liz, you shouldn't pay any attention to the stuff they put in the tabloids these days. It's all exaggerated to boost ratings."_

"_I know I shouldn't let it get to me," she admitted. "But with all the stress of the tournament as well, I just can't help it."_

"_I know," he agreed softly._

"_God, am I really that bad, Max?" she asked, waving her hand in the direction of a newspaper lying on the floor. "Is that really how people see me?"_

"_Of course not," he told her gently, releasing his hold on her and turning her to face him. "You're young and beautiful… it's only natural to want to go out and have fun while you can."_

"_Really?" she wondered, lifting her eyes to his._

"_Yes, really," he smiled._

"_You… you think I'm beautiful?"_

"_I do," admitted Max, surprised that he wasn't more embarrassed to be admitting that fact to her. "You're very beautiful. I've always thought so."_

"_Thank you," she murmured. _

_Max simply smiled and reached up to wipe away her tears with his thumb in what was supposed to be an innocent gesture, but he suddenly found himself unable to tear his eyes away from hers and his hand lingered on her face. As he gazed down at her, looking so vulnerable, he felt his heart begin to beat faster in his chest and unable to stop himself, he lowered his lips to hers. The kiss was gentle and soft and only lasted a few short seconds, before he pulled away and watched as her eyes fluttered open._

"_You're beautiful, Lizzie, and smart, and fun," he murmured softly, as he stroked her cheek with his thumb. "And any guy would be lucky to have you."_

_A small smile lit up her face briefly, before she leaned forward, sliding one hand up to his neck as she brought his mouth to hers once more. The second kiss was tender and slightly hesitant at first, but it didn't take long for them both to relax and enjoy the embrace. It was almost as if they'd been previously unaware of any kind of attraction between them before this moment, but now that it had finally been acknowledged, there was no longer anything to hold them back._

"_Liz," Max murmured against her lips, his hands sliding up her arms, gently caressing her bare skin as he deepened the kiss. He felt Liz sigh into his mouth at the increased contact between them._

_Eventually, however, the need for air became too great and Max was forced to pull away, instead choosing to smile down at her, as his fingers gently caressed her face._

"_Max," murmured Liz breathlessly as her eyes began to search his gaze. "What…?"_

"_I like you, Liz," he supplied, partly surprising himself at the admission. "I suppose I've liked you since the day we met, but I just didn't realise it fully until this moment."_

"_Me, too," she breathed, her expression a mixture of surprise and wonder. "You know, I've never really considered the possibility of you and me before, but now… it just seems to make perfect sense."_

_Max couldn't hide the happy smile that tugged at his lips, "Well, if that's the case, Miss Parker… then, will you go out with me?"_

_She stared up at him for a moment, before a wide grin lit up her face, "Yes." _

"_Really?" he questioned, almost unable to grasp that this was actually happening._

"_Yes, really," she nodded. "After all, we make great partners… I don't see any reason why we couldn't we make a great couple too."_

_Max shifted backwards a little to take in her appearance more fully, before letting out a slightly awed, "Wow!"_

"_Yeah," chuckled Liz._

"_I never even imagined that this could happen," he admitted softly._

"_Me either," she replied. However, a hint of apprehension appearing on her face as she added, "But, God, what do you think the press are going to make of it?"_

"_We're not going to worry about the press," Max stated firmly, as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "Although, it might be best if we kept this to ourselves until the tournament is over. Neither of us needs anymore outside stress right now."_

"_Good idea," murmured Liz, lifting her head to place a gentle kiss on the underside of his jaw. "But right now I'm hungry, so what do you say we go get something to eat… as friends only, of course."_

"_Sounds good to me," he smiled, as he stood up and held his hand out to her. She took it and gave him a smile before grabbing some clothes to change into and heading for the en suite bathroom._

_A few minutes later, the two of them left Liz's hotel room and headed for the lift. On the way out of the hotel, Liz turned to Max with a soft smile._

"_Thank you for cheering me up, Max."_

"_Anytime, Liz. Anytime," he returned with a grin, unable to resist the urge to wrap his arm around her and pull her close for a brief moment._

_To anyone else, it looked like an innocent friendly gesture, but as Liz and Max shared a secretive smile, they knew it was anything but. In fact, it was the start of a very special relationship._

_TBC…_


	11. Chapter 10

**Part Ten**

_**Friday June 22**__**nd**__** 2007**_

At precisely seven am, Liz was roused from her sleep as her mobile began blaring out Mika's high-octave '_Love Today_'. With a groan, she buried her face in her soft, feather pillow, before reaching out a hand and fumbling for her phone.

"'Lo?" she mumbled, tiredly, brushing her hair off her face with her free hand.

"Liz? Is that you?" wondered the smooth baritone voice on the other end.

Liz frowned at hearing the male voice, as it took her a moment to place it, but the second she realised who was calling, she sat up straight in bed.

"Martin?" she questioned in surprise.

"It's me, Liz," he confirmed.

"Wow, not that it's not good to hear from you, but did you have to call me at this time in the morning?" she asked, her mind now filled with confusion.

"Sorry, I forgot about the time difference. I just wanted to see how you were doing now that you're back at home," replied Martin.

Martin Smith was a twenty-nine year old former investment banker from Birmingham who, at the ripe old age of twenty-six, had decided to pack in the long hours and workplace pressure to emigrate halfway across the world and make a home for himself in the same beach community that Liz had hidden herself away in two years ago. They'd met at the local supermarket just a couple of weeks after Liz had fled Britain and he'd recognised her almost immediately. They'd got to talking in the frozen foods aisle and since they were the only other Brits in the area, they'd arranged to meet up occasionally for a chat.

In the end, Martin had been something of a confidant to Liz during the two years she'd been away from the UK. He knew all about her relationship with Max and what had happened to make her leave both him and her career. However, she hadn't heard from him since a week or so after she'd told him of her decision to come home and enter Wimbledon again, so his call today was something of a surprise.

"I'm doing okay," Liz told him, as she tried to hold back a yawn.

"That's good to hear. How's the training going? Are you getting back into the swing of things?"

"Well, it's going," she stated, with a sigh.

"But not that well, by the sound of it," he said knowingly.

"The singles training is going pretty well, but it's just the other part that's hard," admitted Liz.

"Does that other part have anything to do with Max Evans?" asked Martin then. "There was a report on the news here about you and he playing together again."

"Yeah, it's true," she sighed. "They wanted us to enter the mixed together, since I was back this year."

"Let me guess, it's not going well?" he replied.

"Well, the tennis part is, it's just the 'being on the same court again' part that's one big, awkward mess."

"He's still mad at you?"

"Yeah, and who could blame him?" said Liz sarcastically.

"Well, have you told him the truth yet?"

"No," she admitted. "Honestly, I don't think I'm ready to."

"But, don't you think telling him could make all the difference?" he suggested. "After all, he has no idea why you left and he's probably spent the last two years assuming the worst."

"I know that, I do, but it's not just about Max, it's about me too. I'm just not emotionally ready to deal with him knowing the truth."

Martin sighed on the other end, "Fair enough, I suppose. I know how difficult things have been for you the last couple of years. But for the record, you do know he deserves the truth eventually, don't you?"

"I know," she said softly. "I just need a little more time. But, thank you for the advice, Martin."

"No problem, Liz," he replied. "Well, I guess I'd better let you go now. I don't want to interfere with your tough training schedule."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," smiled Liz. "But thank you for calling; it was great to hear from you again."

"It was great talking to you too, and I'll give you a call if I'm ever in the neighbourhood."

"Okay," said Liz. "It would be wonderful to see you again."

They said their goodbyes and ended the conversation. However, instead of placing her mobile back on the bedside table, Liz found herself simply staring at it in her hand. Martin was right about telling Max the real reason she left, but how on Earth was she going to be able to do that when just the thought of someone else knowing scared the shit out of her?

* * *

An hour and a half later, Liz arrived at the tennis club to find Max and his coach partaking in some singles training on one of the courts close to the clubhouse. It appeared that David had not arrived yet, so she slipped into the clubhouse coffee bar unnoticed and took a seat at one of the windows that looked out over the courts.

As much as she tried to concentrate on anything but Max, Liz couldn't help her attention and gaze from drifting down to him. However, as she watched him returning shot after shot across the net, a swell of pride began to rise in her chest. With all the drama and awkwardness of the last two weeks, she hadn't actually had the chance to just sit back and watch him play… and, wow, was he good!

In fact, he seemed to be playing better than he had when they'd been together. No wonder he'd managed to win the other three Grand Slam tournaments in the last few months. During her time away from the UK, she'd heard he'd gone through a bad patch… one that she was afraid had something to do with her disappearance… but in the last year, he'd managed to pick things up again and was now doing much better. More than better, in fact; he was now ranked at number one in the world, although from his behaviour, he apparently wasn't too comfortable with all the media coverage that came with it.

Liz watched his progress on court for a few more minutes, until David arrived and approached her table from behind, watching silently for a moment before alerting her to his presence.

"He's good, isn't he?"

Liz jumped in surprise at the unexpected voice as she turned to face her coach. She offered his a smile in greeting before glancing back out at the courts again.

"Yeah, he is," she murmured. "He's really good. Even better than when we were together."

"Well, I hear he's been putting in a lot of work recently," said David.

"I can tell."

"So, how are you two doing now?" he asked then. "You're certainly playing very well together at the moment and I think you're just about ready for the tournament next week."

"Yeah," Liz nodded in agreement, as she let out a small sigh. "I think so."

"But?"

"I just don't know where we stand with each other," she admitted. "He's obviously still mad at me, but I just can't bring myself to talk to him and make things right."

"Look," started David softly, as he took a seat next to her. "I don't need to tell you that you're doing the wrong thing by bottling everything up and not being honest with him, but I do know how hard this is for you; you're scared and I understand that. But think of how much Max meant to you back then and how much he cared for you. You were part of each other's lives for so long and from what I remember, you always used to be completely honest with each other. Maybe admitting the truth will lift that weight on your shoulders and clear the air between you?"

"Maybe," murmured Liz, thoughtfully. "But it's just not as easy as it sounds. When I left, I pretty much destroyed that closeness forever, and I don't think we'll ever get close to it again."

* * *

**_Saturday 6__th__ July 2002 – Mixed Doubles Final, Wimbledon 2002, London_**

"_Well, this is it, match point - the moment of truth," stated John McEnroe from the commentator's box on Centre court. "Could Evans and Parker be the first all-British mixed pair to win Wimbledon since Bates and Durie in 1987? They're at 5 games to 4 in the third and final set of this year's final, with three match points at their disposal. Let's hope they make the most of this advantage over the French."_

"_Indeed, John," replied his fellow commentator, John Lloyd. "And I think if anyone can pull it off, it's these two fine players in front of us. After a good, but average start in the mixed last week, they seem to have picked up steam in the last couple of matches. In fact, I don't think we've seen them on playing this well together before. After Parker's disappointing match earlier this week, we were all worried that the mixed would suffer too, but something has obviously happened to boost their confidence since then."_

"_You're right," agreed McEnroe. "It's almost like a force has taken over the two of them in the last couple of days and all I can say is that they should keep doing whatever it is that has them on top form right now… Okay, here we go, Evans is getting ready to serve for the match…"_

_

* * *

_

_Out on court, Liz shifted from foot to foot almost nervously. Behind her, she heard Max bouncing the ball a couple of times, in preparation for his serve and a sudden burst of adrenaline burst through her. She and Max had been playing so well this week: so well, in fact, that they had actually made it to the final and the only explanation she could think of for her sudden turnaround was Max and the changes that had occurred between them in the last few days._

_Despite the tense atmosphere right now, Liz couldn't help but smile at the thought of their new relationship. The last few days had been absolutely wonderful, as she and Max discovered all kinds of new things about each other. Max served for the match and also the championship, Liz felt a wave of anticipation and excitement flow through her, as the ball went sailing over the net and she prepared for the return shot. The next few seconds were tense as the rally continued, their opposition obviously not wishing to give up without a fight; however, a moment later, Max surprised everyone, Liz herself included, by diving for an unlikely shot and placing it just outside either their opponent's reach._

_For a moment, Liz just stood still, her racket still poised in her hand, before she realised what had just happened and her mouth dropped open._

_They had won! _

_She and Max had won their first Wimbledon title!_

_Before she had time to blink, Liz found herself being lifted off the floor as Max wrapped his arms around her in a huge hug._

"_We did it, Lizzie!" he cried ecstatically. "We actually did it. I can't believe it."_

"_Oh my God!" she gasped, as the reality began to really sink in. "Oh my God, Max! We won!"_

_She and Max continued to cling to each other in celebration, until one of the ball boys tapped Max on the shoulder, indicating that the Wimbledon officials were ready to begin the trophy presentation. With a grin, Max released Liz and they moved to congratulate their opponents, before making their way to the centre of the court hand-in-hand._

_The next hour passed in a blur for Liz; she and Max were first accosted by the press for post-match interviews and then by their families for hugs and congratulations. After a good half-hour of mingling in the VIP rooms at the All England club, everyone headed back to Max and Liz's hotel for a celebratory party that was being thrown for all of the day's championship winners._

_Liz couldn't stop smiling and sharing glances with Max the entire evening._

_

* * *

_

"_Wow, I still can't believe it really happened," exclaimed Liz to Max, as they entered her hotel room just after two am. Downstairs, the party was drawing to a close and Max had offered to walk Liz back to her room on the way to his own._

_However, when they arrived at her door, Liz didn't hesitate to invite him in and Max eagerly complied._

"_Well, it definitely did," Max assured her with a grin as he slipped his arms around her waist and she lifted her head to look up at him. "We're Wimbledon champions now."_

_Liz shook her head. "It's like a dream come true," she murmured in wonderment. _

_Max chuckled at her words, before gently lowering his head towards hers and capturing her lips in a soft kiss. Liz sucked in a breath at the sudden contact, but relaxed into Max's kiss almost immediately. They'd only been together for a five days, but those five days had given them plenty of opportunity to get to know each other in the more-than-just-friends sense._

"_Mmm," she murmured against Max's lips, her arms coming up to circle around his neck._

_In response, Max simply let one hand drift up her back and tangle in her hair as he gently cupped her neck. A contented smile tugged at Liz's lips as she deepened the kiss, pressing her body more fully against him. At the added contact, Max muttered something unintelligible, tightening his arms around her as he began to walk Liz backwards towards the queen-size bed that stood in the middle of the room._

_However, the moment Liz's legs hit the end of the bed, Max broke their embrace and pulled back to look down into her eyes as Liz turned her gaze up to him in confusion._

"_Why d'you stop?" she wondered, curling her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. "I was enjoying that."_

"_I just…" Max started, getting caught up in her eyes and momentarily forgetting what he wanted to say._

"_Max? What's up?"_

"_Nothing," he shook his head and sending her a quick, genuine smile. "I just wanted to savour the moment."_

"_Okay," she murmured with a small chuckle. "Are you done yet?"_

"_Just a minute," he replied, snaking his fingers round from the back of her neck to gently caress her cheek. "Okay, I'm done."_

"_Great," murmured Liz with a grin, as their lips met once more._

_This time, their kisses were deep and more intense than any they'd shared in the past few days. It was like she couldn't get enough of him. Her hands slid down from his neck, exploring every inch of his back before coming to rest on his lower back, her fingers slipping beneath the material of his shirt to gently stroke the warm skin there._

_Encouraged by her movements, Max nuzzled at her neck as his hands wound around her back, gently easing her down onto the bed. Liz's eyes fluttered open when she felt the mattress beneath her and she found herself staring up into Max's questioning gaze. With an almost imperceptible nod, she smiled up at him, making the immediate decision that she was ready for this, despite the fact that their new relationship was less than a week old._

_In fact, there was nothing more in the world that she wanted more than to make love to Max Evans right now. If she was honest with herself, she knew that secretly she'd wanted this since the first time she'd laid eyes on him – she just hadn't admitted it to herself until a few days ago. At her nod of consent, Max smiled and lowered his mouth to hers again as he ran his hands down her sides. Liz sighed into his mouth, allowing his tongue to tangle with hers as she slid her hands further beneath his shirt, urging it upwards. Max quickly got the hint and shifted to allow her to divest him of the offending article._

_Liz felt Max's eyes on her as she ran her fingers over his bare chest, almost in awe. Of course, she'd seen his upper body before during training, but there was something different about seeing him like this right now._

"_Liz," murmured Max, sucking in a breath as her fingers drifted down the centre of his torso towards his belly button._

_She lifted her head to look up at him, only for her breath to catch in her throat at the intensity in his eyes._

"_Make love to me?" he questioned roughly._

_With a soft smile, she nodded, "Of course."_

_Max broke into a grin and he kissed her deeply before moving his hands to the hem of her top. They undressed each other slowly, taking the time to get to know each other's bodies. For Liz, the whole experience was serene. She had to admit that almost all of her previous sexual encounters had been hurried and frantic – they'd been about having fun and feeling good. But this was different; for the first time, she actually felt special, cherished and it was the most wonderful feeling in the world._

_Max took his time, gently running his hands across her warm skin, pressing soft kisses along her collarbone before unhurriedly working down to her chest. Liz let out a gasp as he cupped one breast in his hand, before lowering his lips to the other. Her hands drifted to the back of his head, her fingers tangling in his short hair. They were both still wearing underwear, but Liz was very aware of Max's hips nestled between her legs, his arousal pressing against her centre and she couldn't help but fidget beneath him in an attempt to ease the building pressure. _

_However, if he noticed her discomfort, he didn't show it; instead he simply continued to worship her body with his hands and with his mouth. His hands slid lower, his mouth following as he kissed a trail down to her belly. Liz let out a gasp as his fingers dipped beneath the elastic of her knickers, causing Max to lift his head to look at her. She gave him a lazy smile and a nod, to indicate that he should continue, before lowering her head to the pillows._

_Her stomach tightened as he hooked his fingers into her underwear and gently eased them down over her hips. A small moan escaped her lips as he began to gently caress her with his fingers and when he finally touched his tongue to her hot centre, her breathing became shallow and ragged and she arched up off the bed, her fingers clutching at his hair._

_Nothing had ever felt this good and no one had ever made her feel this way before. Max ran his hands up and down her legs as he kissed and licked at her sensitive skin until she was begging for release, but before she could reach it, he pulled back and slid up her body again._

"_Wha-?" she muttered, almost incoherently. "Max?"_

"_Shh," he murmured softly. "Be patient."_

_Before Liz knew what was happening, he had climbed off the bed and was rummaging through his wallet. She frowned for a moment before relaxing when she realised what was going on. Instead, she simply lay back and watched Max as he pulled the small, square packet out of his wallet and then slipped his boxers off._

_Her eyes widened as she took in the view before her. He was… perfect… and the sight of his naked body turned her on more than anything ever had before. With their protection in his hand, Max smiled down at her as he lowered his body onto hers once more. They kissed softly for a few moments, before Liz began to feel impatient and rocked her hips against him. With a quick nod, Max wasted no time in opening the small packet and rolling the condom into place._

"_Max," gasped Liz as he entered her, gently rocking his hips to allow her to get used to him. "God."_

_She felt his sharp intake of breath when he sank further into her and closed her eyes at the sensations he was causing in her body. They made love tenderly, yet still fervently, pouring every feeling and emotion into worshipping each other. As Liz neared her peak, she felt like she was flying; making love to Max Evans was better than anything else in the world._

_She clung to him as the first waves of orgasm washed over her, gasping in his ear at the sensations. She felt him smile against her neck as he continued to thrust in and out of her, his release fast approaching. Soon, he stiffened above her with a cry as he came, before collapsing against Liz._

_They lay together as one for several moments as they tried to catch their breath and make sense of the emotions they were experiencing._

"_Wow," breathed Liz. "That was…"_

"_I know," murmured Max, as he kissed her neck._

"_I think…" she started._

"_You think what?" Max lifted his head._

"_I think I might be falling in love with you, Max Evans," she confessed._

"_Really?" he wondered, his expression awed. _

_She nodded, "Yeah, I think I am."_

_He grinned, rolling them so that they lay side by side, "Well, you know what? I think I might just be falling in love with you too, Liz Parker."_

_This time, it was Liz's turn to grin. They remained in that position, just staring into each other's eyes for a few minutes, until Max noticed that she was beginning to shiver._

"_Cold?" he asked._

_Liz nodded, "A little."_

_Max slid off the bed, disposing of the condom before holding his hand out to her in invitation. She took it, getting off the bed so that he could pull back the covers. They settled together beneath the duvet, Liz cuddled against Max's chest, as Max's arms encircled her, holding her close._

_As they lay together on the verge of sleep, Liz murmured one last thought, "I'm so happy, Max."_

"_Me too, Lizzie, me too."_

_TBC…_


	12. Chapter 11

**Part Eleven**

_**Saturday 23**__**rd**__** June 2007**_

Max sighed as he stood in front of his bathroom mirror and inspected his appearance. He adjusted his tie and smoothed down his shirt, before reaching for the smart jacket that hung on the back of the chair in the corner. Tonight, the All-England club was hosting a meet-and-greet function for the tournament players and everyone else involved with Wimbledon.

To be honest, Max really wasn't in the mood to go, but he knew that due to his current status in the tennis world, he was expected to attend. It wasn't just the socialising he was required to do that filled his heart with dread; it was also the fact that he knew Liz was going to be there and that he would be expected to be seen with her during the evening. Not to mention all the inevitable questions about their relationship. Max just wished he could avoid it all and get on with things, but he knew that wasn't going to happen.

Two weeks ago, before he'd seen Liz again, all he'd wanted was to finally get the truth from her and he'd thought that agreeing to play in the mixed was the best way to do that. However, when the time came to actually meet her face to face, the moment she opened her mouth to speak, he found he didn't want to hear anything that came out of her mouth.

The truth was, he was scared. All he'd been able to think about for months was why she'd left, but when she was actually standing in front of him and he finally had access to the information he needed, he just couldn't handle it. All the anger he'd spent so long dealing with and trying to overcome suddenly came rushing back and the only thing he could do was take it out on her. The only way he found he could deal with being in Liz's presence was to concentrate on playing well and not talk to her directly. He knew that if he tried to be civil towards her, or even ask why she left, he'd end up doing something he would regret. So, he'd kept his mouth shut and suffered in silence.

As he was making the final adjustments to his suit, Max's driver rang to inform him that his car was outside and with a sigh and once last glance in the mirror, he made his way out of the building and got into the car. It was usually customary for the players to be put up in a hotel during the tournament, but since Max lived in London anyway, he'd elected not to stay in the hotel this year. He could admit that it did have something to do with not wanting to stay in the same building as Liz for the next two weeks, since she had chosen to take the hotel room offered, but the truth was that at this point in time, he felt much more comfortable sleeping in his own bed this year.

Almost thirty minutes later, the car pulled up outside the All England club. Max thanked the driver and sucked in a deep breath, preparing himself for the evening ahead, before stepping out of the car and heading for the entrance.

* * *

The party had been in full swing for only an hour, but Max was getting antsy. More people than he cared to remember, all of whom had some comment or another about Liz and the mixed doubles, had approached him in the last few minutes. He'd plastered a smile on his face and answered them as politely as possible, all the while very aware of Liz socialising on the other side of the room. For the last forty-five minutes, he'd being trying to forget that she was there, but that had proved very difficult indeed.

However, now that the other guests had finally decided to leave him alone for a few minutes, he couldn't help but watch her every move from his spot near the buffet table. He had to admit that she looked positively stunning tonight; her shoulder-length hair had been curled and pulled back off her face and she wore a sleek, black, knee-length dress that showed off her lovely figure. As she laughed with a couple of the other players, Max couldn't take his eyes off her glowing face and smiling eyes. He felt his heart tug at the sight and for a moment wondered why on earth he was mad at her.

Suddenly, their eyes met and Max blushed when he realised he'd been caught staring. Liz, however, didn't seem to notice and instead fixed him with a thoughtful gaze before saying something to her companions and making her way towards the buffet table where he was currently standing.

"Max," she murmured, as she came to a stop in front of him.

"Liz," he replied, too caught up in his perusal of her to realise that he wasn't technically talking to her.

"Look," she started, fidgeting slightly as he continued to watch her. "I know you're still angry with me and that's perfectly understandable, but I just want to say that I'm sorry, for everything."

"Okay," said Max slowly, as he tried to absorb the fact that she was actually standing in front of him, apparently saying what he'd been waiting for her to say to him for the last two weeks.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Max, I swear," she continued. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking straight and it was selfish of me to just leave with no explanations."

Max nodded, as he absorbed her words. Part of him was glad that she'd finally apologised to him for what she'd put him through, but another part was still angry with her.

"So, am I finally going to hear those explanations?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Liz hesitated for a moment, before lowering her eyes awkwardly. "I sorry, Max," she murmured, looking back up at him. "I can't… I'm just not ready."

Max snorted, "Well, that's just great. You know what, Liz? Why don't you just stay away from me until you are ready, because I don't think I can be civil to someone who I know is lying to me."

"Max," said Liz, her tone dismayed, as she attempted to reason with him, but one look at his now stony expression had her retreated back into herself. "I'm sorry," she murmured one last time before turning to leave.

Max watched her go with a sinking heart. It was obviously that his reaction had hurt her, but at the same time, if she wasn't going to offer any explanation for breaking his heart, then he couldn't be expected to be nice to her. Didn't she understand that he had a right to know why his own life had fallen apart? How was it that the most wonderful, honest and loving girl he'd ever known could have become so selfish and self-absorbed in such a short space of time? It was like he didn't even know her anymore.

Sure, they might have to play tennis together for the next two weeks, but now he was more determined than ever not to have anything to do with her off the court. There had been a time when he couldn't stand being away from her for more than a couple of hours, but now it was proving difficult to stay calm enough to be with her for even that length of time…

* * *

**_Saturday October 12__th__ 2002_**

"_Don't go," Max practically pleaded with Liz as they lounged together on the plush sofa in her living room. "Please?"_

"_Max, I have to go, you know that," Liz reasoned, shifting positions so that she could face him. "I signed up for the tournament weeks ago, I can't back out now. And besides, it's only for a week."_

"_Only a week?" he returned incredulously, "That's like… six days too long, Liz."_

"_God, Max, don't be such a baby," Liz rolled her eyes playfully. "I bet you wouldn't be acting like this if you hadn't had to pull out of the tournament in Madrid this week. When we signed up for them, you had no problem with the fact that you were gonna be in Spain while I was in Switzerland."_

"_Yeah, well, that was before," stated Max, with a small pout._

"_You know, it's not my fault you got yourself injured the week before the tournament, now is it?" she retorted, a grin tugging at her lips as she glanced meaningfully at the bandage covering his right wrist._

"_As I recall," countered Max mischievously as he slid his good arm around her waist and pulled her down on top of him. "I sprained my wrist whilst trying to hit the ball that you conveniently ducked out the way of."_

"_Oh, yeah," muttered Liz with a sheepish shrug. "Sorry about that."_

_Max grinned and lifted his head slightly so he could press a soft kiss to her lips._

"_Hey," he said, pulling away a little. "How about I come with you to __Zürich__ tomorrow instead of staying here all on my own? I could keep you company when you're not on court."_

"_Max," sighed Liz, "As much as I'd love you to come with me, you know you can't. You have a check up at the doctor's on Monday and physio appointments during the week. If you want to be fit for the Master's tournament in Paris in two weeks, you need to stay here and get better."_

_Max let that sink in. He knew Liz was right; getting his wrist back up to playing again was his priority, but that didn't mean he liked the idea._

"_I'm gonna miss you, Lizzie," he admitted softly._

"_I'm gonna miss you too, Max," replied Liz, gazing down at him for a long moment, before lowering her lips to his for a passion-filled kiss._

_Max responded eagerly, his arm tightening around Liz, pulling her close against him. As the familiar sensations flowed through him at the feel of her soft lips on his, he found himself wondering once more how he was going to live without seeing her for a whole week._

"_I love you, Liz," he murmured against her lips, not giving her a chance to respond as he plunged his tongue into her mouth, holding her to him tightly. He wanted to make this moment last as long as humanly possible._

_Unfortunately, oxygen eventually became an issue and Liz pulled away to catch her breath._

"_I love you too, Max," she returned breathlessly. "You know I do. And for the record, I'm gonna miss you this week too."_

_A smile lit up Max's face at Liz's words and he reached up to caress her cheek with his fingers._

"_Make love to me, Lizzie?" he asked imploringly._

"_Okay, let's go to my room" she nodded eagerly, moving to stand up, but Max held her firmly against him._

"_No, make love to me," he repeated slowly. "Right here."_

"_Here?" she murmured._

"_Yeah, why not? Don't you think it's kinda… sexy?"_

_A grin broke out on Liz's face. "Well, now I do," she admitted, lowering her mouth to his again._

_Max gave a muffled chuckle, his good hand slipping beneath Liz's shirt and coming to rest on the warm skin there. As they slowly undressed each other and took their time making passionate love on Liz's couch, there was one thought that kept echoing through Max's mind._

_Once Liz returned from Switzerland next weekend, he was going to ask her to move in with him._

_

* * *

_

Max was pulled from his bittersweet memories by a sudden interruption from beside him.

"Nice to see you're still on top of things, huh, Max?" joked the soft feminine voice. "You look completely out of it."

"Huh?" said Max, in confusion as he turned to face the voice… and smiled.

"Yeah, you're out of it, just like I thought," the woman confirmed.

"Nice to see you too, Jess," greeted Max with a grin.

"You too, Max," replied blonde-haired Jessica Abbott.

Max had met Jessica at the Australian Open back in 2002. Her brother James had been competing in the Junior tournament and she'd accompanied him to Australia, since their parents weren't around anymore. The two of them had become friends and after Liz grilled him about her one evening, Max had introduced the two of them. Although they only saw each other at tournaments and matches, Max and Liz had always had an effort to catch up with Jessica and her brother, and Max had continued to talk to her at tournaments in the months after Liz's disappearance. She'd been a big help and support to him when he was having trouble with his game.

"How's James doing now that he's moved up to the men's tournament?" enquired Max interestedly.

"It's been a little tough for him," admitted Jessica. "It's a big step going from one of the best to just one of many."

"Yeah, it is," agreed Max. "But tell him to hold in there and I'm sure he'll do fine."

"I will and I'll be sure to tell him that the advice came from his idol."

Max blushed at her words. He knew that James Abbott was a fan of his, but it was still strange to be referred to as someone's idol.

Beside him, Jessica continued to chat, but Max found his attention wandering… to the lone figure standing across the room. Liz was watching him with an unreadable expression. She looked so lonely and lost that he had to physically stop himself from walking over to her and taking her in his arms.

As much as he wanted to comfort her, he knew he couldn't be comfortable around her until she had the guts to tell him the truth.

_TBC_…


	13. Chapter 12

**Part Twelve**

_**Sunday 24**__**th**__** June 2007**_

It was almost lunchtime and so far, Liz had spent most of the morning lounging around in her hotel room, watching TV. All the socialising last night, along with the tough training schedule of the last two weeks had worn her out and so she was taking a much-needed break from tennis before the tournament began tomorrow. She'd done all the training she could in preparation for this year's Wimbledon and she and Max were playing at the best standard possible in the short time they'd had to practice together.

So now she was making the most of having some time off before the chaos began by catching up with the Hollyoaks episodes she'd missed during the week and pigging out on Doritos and chocolate. It was just getting to a really good part of the omnibus episode, when there came a knock at the door. With a sigh, Liz pressed the mute button and dragged herself off the bed to open the door.

"Hey Mum, hey Dad," she smiled when she saw who was on the other side.

"Hey, Lizzie," greeted her dad with a smile, as her mum pulled her into a hug. "We just wanted to drop by and see how you were doing before the tournament."

"I'm doing okay," Liz told them. "Why don't you come on in?"

"Thanks, darling," smiled Nancy, as she stepped through the door and took a seat on the sofa by the window.

As Jeff entered the room, he also gathered Liz up in a hug, before gesturing to the sofa. They sat down, Liz in the middle, with her parents on either side.

"Are you sure you're okay, Lizzie? Because you can tell us if all this is just too much at once," Jeff told her softly and Nancy nodded, rubbing Liz's arm comfortingly.

Liz looked down for a moment before sighing, "Well, I'm coping, but it's been hard keeping up with the training after not playing for so long. Actually, it's, um, been wearing me out a little."

"That's understandable," Jeff nodded. "And how about playing with Max again? Is that going alright?"

Liz smothered a snort, "As well as can be expected, I guess. He's still mad that I haven't given him an explanation yet. We're barely talking to each other."

"Oh, honey," murmured Nancy. "I'm sorry."

"He thinks I'm deliberately lying to him," she admitted. "And I want to tell him, I really do, but I'm worried about what the truth will mean for us and for our careers."

"Have you tried just talking to him?" asked her mother. "Maybe that would help."

"Not until the party last night," admitted Liz. "I told him I was sorry for everything that happened, but that I wasn't quite ready to tell him anything else."

"And what did he say?"

"That I should stay away from him until I was ready to stop lying and be honest," she said softly. "And then later on, he was chatting and smiling with another woman. I think maybe he was doing it deliberately to spite me."

With a sympathetic smile, Jeff put his arm around her and pulled her close.

"I know this is hard for you, Lizzie and I'm sorry that Max is being a pain, but you're a strong person and I'm sure you and Max can work this out eventually. You just need to be patient and try your best to get through the things that are holding you back from telling Max the truth."

"I know, Dad. It's just proving to be harder than it sounds. I'm scared that he's not going to understand."

"Hang in there, Lizzie," he told her. "You've both supported each other with difficult things in your lives in the past. I'm sure when you are ready to tell him, he will understand. Remember when he was having problems with his game and was afraid to tell you about it? He was scared then, but you two worked through things and came out of it just fine."

"Yeah, I remember," murmured Liz, as she cast her mind back to that particular time in their lives…

* * *

_**Friday June 27**__**th**__** 2003 – Wimbledon, London**_

"_Dammit!" swore Max, as he entered their hotel room and angrily dropped his sports bag down on the bed. "Fuck!"_

"_It's not the end of the world, Max," Liz told him as she too stepped into the room and closed the door behind her._

"_I was knocked out in the third round, Liz," he stated incredulously. "That's my chance of winning Wimbledon out yet again."_

"_Max," said Liz softly, as she moved in front of him and slid her hands into his, looking up at him. "Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. There's always next year."_

_Max snorted, "Easy for you to say, you haven't lost a match in months. So far, I haven't reached the semi-finals in a single tournament this year."_

"_What about all the trophies we've collected in doubles? Surely, you can't be disappointed with those?"_

"_Yeah, well," he muttered, pulling his hands from hers and moving to sit on the end of the bed, his head in his hands._

_Liz frowned. Something was up with him; he'd been standoffish and moody for the last couple of weeks and she had no idea why._

"_Hey," she murmured, taking a seat beside him. "What's wrong?"_

_Max sighed, almost impatiently, "Nothing."_

"_It doesn't seem like nothing to me."_

"_For fuck's sake, Liz. Just leave it alone, okay?" he cried, his voice slightly muffled by his hands covering his face._

_Liz was about to make a retort, when an awful thought occurred to her._

"_Max, this doesn't have anything to do with… us, does it? I mean, you're not regretting moving in together or anything, are you?"_

"_What?" Max finally lifted his head from his hands to look at her. "No, Liz," he shook his head. "It's nothing like that. I love living with you."_

"_Then what is it?" Liz asked gently. He remained silent. "Please, Max; you can talk to me about anything, you know that." _

_He still didn't speak, but his facial features showed that he was struggling with something. Feeling a wave of emotion towards her boyfriend, Liz shifted on the bed so she was sitting slightly behind him and reached out a hand, gently laying it on his back. When he didn't move away, she slid both arms around him from behind and rested her head on his shoulder._

_For a long moment, Max didn't move or say anything and Liz began to worry, but eventually, she felt his hands encase hers and he sucked in a breath._

"_What if I'm not cut out for this, Liz?" he questioned softly._

"_Not cut out for what?" she replied, lifting her head slightly._

"_Professional tennis," he admitted. "What if I'm not good enough to make it?"_

"_Oh, Max," murmured Liz. "Of course you're good enough. You helped us win Wimbledon last year and we've got to the finals in the other Grand Slams since then. I didn't do that on my own."_

"_But maybe that's just it; maybe I can only win when I'm playing with you."_

"_That's not true," said Liz. "You're one of the top singles players in the world."_

"_And yet, I can't seem to get past the fourth round in tournaments anymore."_

"_What are you talking about?" wondered Liz. "Okay, maybe you've had a couple of bad months, but that doesn't mean you're not good enough."_

_Max shook his head, "When I'm on court, it's like I can't find my balance anymore. I feel clumsy and it's like nothing I do is right. The only reason I made it to the third round today was because my opponent was playing even more badly than I was. God, I only seem to be able to play well when you're with me."_

"_Well, in that case, I have the perfect solution: from now on, we're going to train together until you get your confidence back. I'm going to help you get back to your best."_

_Max shook his head, "I can't ask you to do that; what about your own training?"_

"_You know what? I think I might work better with you too," she admitted, resting her chin on his shoulder, her mouth close to his ear. "So what do you say? We do this together?"_

_Max thought for a moment, exhaling loudly before shifting round on the bed to face Liz._

"_Okay," he nodded, a small smile gracing his features. "Okay, let's do it."_

"_Great," she smiled, tightening her arms around him once again. "Thank you."_

"_No, thank _you_, Liz," he returned. "For making me talk to you about this."_

"_No problem, Max. I love you, remember? I just want you to be happy."_

"_And I, you," Max told her sincerely. "I love you, too, Lizzie…"_

_

* * *

_

In his London flat, later that evening, Max was interrupted from his mental preparation for the first day of Wimbledon (while watching an X-Files rerun on digital cable) by the sound of his doorbell. With a frown, he stood up to answer the door, as he wondered who on Earth would be stopping by just a few hours before what could potentially be his biggest tournament ever. He'd already spent the day with his parents and his sister, so he knew it wasn't any of his family. He opened the door and came face to face with the last person he expected to be paying him a visit.

"Jeff?" he wondered in surprise.

The man in front of him smiled, "Hi, Max. It's been a long time."

"Yeah," agreed Max. "It has. Um, can I ask what you're doing here?"

"Certainly," replied Liz's father, pleasantly. "I was hoping to talk with you, actually."

"Oh, um, okay," fumbled Max, still a little confused by Jeff's appearance. After Liz disappeared, Max had lost contact with Jeff, despite his connections in the tennis world. "Come in."

"Thank you," replied Jeff, as he stepped into the flat.

"So, um, can I offer you a drink?" offered Max, uncomfortably, as he offered Jeff a seat on the sofa. Honestly, he had no idea how to act around Jeff Parker, especially considering the state of his current relationship with his daughter.

"No, that's alright," Jeff politely declined. "But thanks anyway."

"Okay," said Max, taking a seat in the armchair to the right of the couch.

"So, how are you doing, Max?" asked Jeff, a moment later. "Congratulations on becoming world number one, by the way. I always knew you would make it to the top."

"Thank you," replied Max, with a smile. "It's really been a great year for me so far."

"That's good to hear. Although, I've heard it's not been easy for you the last couple of weeks with the mixed doubles," said Jeff, stressing the last part meaningfully.

"Well, I–" Max struggled for words. How could you tell your partner's father that you pretty much hated her guts for breaking your heart?

"It's okay, Max," Jeff assured him kindly. "I understand that you and Lizzie are having some issues at the moment." Max could only nod in reply. "And you know that I'm not one to pry into her life too much, but she's really the reason I'm here."

"Look, Jeff, I'm not sure what she's told you, but I'm not –"

Jeff held up a hand to stop him, "I'm actually on your side here, Max."

"You are?"

"Yes. As much as I love my daughter, I'm also aware that she still owes you some big explanations and I understand that you are still hurting over it."

Max sucked in a shaky breath, but said nothing.

"Look, the reason I'm here is to ask you to go easy on Lizzie right now. I know that she needs to talk to you and tell you the truth, but it's not as simple as that for her. She's trying to deal with some personal issues and is struggling to overcome them, but until she has, she's not going to feel ready to tell you about them."

"I'm sorry," admitted Max. "I'm not intentionally trying to hurt her, but when I'm around her, I can't seem to control my reactions and emotions."

"And I can't blame you for that," assured Jeff. "I just wanted you to know that Liz isn't withholding information from you deliberately. She's had a hard time trusting and getting close to people recently and to be honest, I think she's scared to talk to you, Max."

As Max let the words sink in, he couldn't help but feel a small amount of sympathy for Liz. Whatever had happened in the last two years had obviously affected her as much as it had him.

He nodded slowly, "While I'll admit that I am still angry and hurt over the past, I'm willing to try putting my feelings aside for Liz's sake."

"Thank you, Max."

"If you talk to her, please let her know that when she's ready to talk, I'll be there to listen," Max told him. "As much as I hate what she did to me and to us, part of me still loves her and because of that I'm willing to wait a little longer to hear her explanations."

"You're a good man, Max," Jeff complimented, warmly, as he stood up to leave. "I'd better be off now, but please, just hang in there for a little longer. I'm sure you'll get the answers you need soon enough."

"I'll try," replied Max, walking him towards the door. "Thank you."

"Good luck with the tournament, Max."

"Thanks. Can you wish Liz good luck for me? I would do it myself, but after the way I talked to her last night, I don't think she'd be too receptive."

"I will, Max," said Jeff, as he exited the flat. "Good night."

"Good night."

Max closed the door and leaned back against it with a sigh. He was suddenly full of conflicting emotions. On the one hand, he was still angry that Liz hadn't confided in him, but one the other hand, Jeff's words had him thinking. Maybe there was more to Liz's sudden disappearance than he'd originally thought.

_TBC…_


	14. Chapter 13

**Part Thirteen**

_**Monday 25**__**th**__** June 2007**_

As Max finished warming up for his first match of the tournament, he found his mind returning to the conversation he'd had with Liz's father the night before. He was torn; he had no idea what to do or how he felt about the situation anymore. On the one hand, he knew that he should be demanding to know the real reason Liz left, that he deserved to finally learn why she'd broken his heart; but on the other hand, part of him still felt protective towards her and didn't want to make things worse by pushing her for answers when she obviously wasn't read to give them.

Shaking his head, Max gathered up his things and left the practice courts to meet with Todd, his coach, for a pre-match pep talk. Despite the whole situation with Liz, he was actually feeling prepared for the singles tournament this year. After winning the other three Grand Slams in New York, Melbourne and Paris over the last few months and then finally becoming the number one male player in the world, he was definitely confident that this could finally be his year to win the Wimbledon title as well.

Todd greeted Max inside the locker rooms, and they spent a few minutes going over Max's tactics and the details of his first opponent. He was to be playing a young Frenchman named Jacques Moreaux. He was fairly unknown in the tennis world, currently ranked at only 190 in the world, but was a rising star in his home country and had received a wildcard entry into the tournament – a certain number of places were offered to players who weren't ranked high enough to qualify in the usual way, but who showed promise and were therefore given a chance to play.

They finished their meeting with just a few minutes until the beginning of the match, so Todd wished Max good luck and headed off to find his seat in the VIP section of Centre Court. In the changing rooms, Max spent a couple of minutes just sitting down on one of the benches, taking deep, calming breaths. He knew it was strange to be nervous after so long in the spotlight, but Max still found himself getting sweaty palms and butterflies in his stomach before matches. In fact, if he remembered correctly, the only time he didn't get nervous at all was when he played with Liz.

With a sigh, Max shook his head and looked heavenward. He couldn't afford to be thinking about Liz just before the opening match of Wimbledon. In the past few months, his strength on court had come from not thinking about her and he couldn't afford to let his guard drop now and possibly ruin his chances of winning. However, his musings were cut off by the arrival of his opponent in the locker rooms. The two men exchanged a quick nod, before returning to their own thoughts and pre-match preparation.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Max and Jacques walked out onto the court to wild cheers from the large crowd of spectators. Despite still being slightly nervous, Max felt a rush of adrenaline shoot through him as he listened to the shouts and cheers of his name echoing around the stadium.

The two players made their way to the chairs set out for them next to the umpire's seat and pulled out their rackets. They each spent a couple of minutes warming up and taking practice shots, before the umpire called them over to determine who was to serve first. Max won the toss-up and they moved into position on the court. Max began the match by taking the first serve. He won the first game easily, but the remainder of the set proved to be more difficult. Despite the fact that he was much less experienced than him, Max's opponent was playing very well and it was turning out not to be an easy match to play.

Max won the first set 7-5, but then lost the second 6-7 in a tense tiebreak. However, after shouts and cheers of encouragement from his fans during the short break between sets, he really put his all into the game and went on to win the third set 6-3. Now, after almost two and a half hours of play, he was 5 games to 4 up in the fourth set, having broken serve in the previous game. He was about the serve for the match.

He took one last sip from his water bottle, wiped the sweat off his face with a towel, before standing up and walking back out onto court to chants of his name and enthusiastic clapping from the crowd. He signalled to the ball boy for some new balls and tested them out briefly as he waited for Moreaux to show he was ready for the game to begin.

Max bounced the ball a couple of times in preparation for the serve, before sucking in a large breath and exhaling heavily. He threw the ball into the air and brought his racket slamming down on it, executing a near-perfect first serve. The ball flew over the net at high speed and travelled right down the centre service line. It neatly bounced just inside the service box, but it was much too fast for his opponent to return. Max grinned; he'd scored an Ace. The crowd cheered loudly and began chanting his name again, until the umpire called for quiet so he could serve again.

He won the next point easily when Moreaux made an unforced error, hitting the ball into the net, but then the Frenchman seemed to find his footing and went on to win the next two points, bringing the score up to 30-30. However, this only caused Max to step up his game and his next serve was powerful and once again whizzed right past Moreaux, cleanly bouncing in the top corner of the service box, to give him another Ace. The spectators went wild once more and although he didn't show it outwardly, Max felt the excitement building in his chest.

This was it, match point; hopefully the first of many in this tournament, and he was determined not to slip up and made any mistakes now. He bounced the ball three, four times, before lifting his racket, tossing the ball up, taking one last glance over the court and then deftly hitting it across the net. His opponent was quick and returned it back with ease, thereby setting up a powerful rally. For a tense moment, after the tenth stroke, Max wondered if he was ever going to get in the winning shot he needed, but just a few seconds later, Moreaux slipped as he ran for the ball and the ball landed just short of the baseline.

He let out a 'Yes!' as his hand balled up in a fist and he punched the air. He'd won the match. As his fans cheered for him, he made his way to the net to shake Moreaux hand and congratulate him on his game. The boy smiled and thanked him, before returning the favour and the two of them walked off the court to gather their belongings. As he made his way back to the changing rooms, Max happily stopped by the stands to sign autographs and make small talk with the fans.

Just a few minutes later, once he'd left the court, he was pulled aside to give a quick post-match interview to the BBC crew. He didn't mind doing these interviews, because they were purely based on the match and not on any other aspect of his life. It was the full-on, in-depth TV and magazine interviews that he had a hard time with.

* * *

_**Monday July 18**__**th**__** 2005 – London**_

"_Good morning, Max, I'm Jacob," smiled the interviewer from Ace magazine, as he stood up and held out a hand for Max to shake. "Come on in, sit down. No Liz today?"_

_With a heavy heart and a throbbing head that felt like it was full of cotton wool, Max entered the small interview room and shook the man's hand._

"_Morning Jacob," he managed, as he took a seat opposite the man. "No, I'm afraid Liz couldn't make it today, she's had a… family emergency."_

_The truth was, Max had no idea where Liz was; he hadn't seen her since she'd taken off after the big argument they'd had on Friday afternoon. In fact, Max had just lived through the worst and longest weekend of his entire life. Just a few days ago, he'd had everything… a successful tennis career, a flat in one of the most expensive areas of Central London, a gorgeous, loving fiancée… but on Friday, something had changed. He and Liz had had the biggest argument of their relationship and he'd eventually stormed out of the flat in anger. However, when he'd calmed down and had returned to apologise, Liz was nowhere to be seen._

_At first, he'd assumed that she'd gone to her best friend, Maria's house, but when he discovered some of her clothes and belongings missing, an even more terrible thought occurred to him; one that he'd spent all weekend trying to ignore, in the hope that Liz really was just taking a breather for a couple of days and would return home soon. After all, they had an interview scheduled on Monday morning and she was bound to be back in time for that. _

_However, come Monday morning, there was still no sign of her and Max didn't know what to think. He didn't want to believe that she might really have left him, but that was where the evidence seemed to be pointing. What he did know, though was that he still had to go through with this interview and until he'd figured out exactly where his relationship with Liz stood, he couldn't let on that anything was wrong._

"_Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," said Jacob, pulling Max out of his troubled thoughts. It took him a moment to realise that the interviewer was referring to Liz's absence. "I'm glad you could make it, though."_

"_No problem," said Max, flashing a tight smile. "I'm glad to be here," he lied._

"_That's good to know," replied Jacob. "So, shall we get started then?" Max nodded and he continued, "Well, it's been a pretty eventful year for you and Liz, hasn't it?"_

"_It certainly has," said Max._

"_I mean, you reached the finals of mixed doubles in the Australian Open in January and then went onto win the mixed in the French Open and Wimbledon within a month of each other; not to mention celebrating your engagement as well."  
_

"_Yeah," agreed Max, with a forced nod. "It's definitely been a good year, one of the best, in fact." Up until a few days ago, at least, he added silently._

"_So, have you and Liz decided on a wedding date yet?" enquired the interviewer and Max's eyes widened at the unexpected question._

"_Oh, um," he struggled to find an answer. "No, we haven't set anything in stone just yet."_

_It was almost the truth. Just a couple of weeks ago, he and Liz had discussed possible dates but had not come to a definite conclusion yet. While Liz had been eager to get the ball rolling and choose a date sooner rather than later, Max was more inclined to wait a while, until their lives were a little less hectic. In the end, they had just agreed to disagree for the time being._

_Now, though, Max was extremely confused. Just a few days ago, Liz had been telling him how much she was looking forward to settling down and starting a family, yet now she appeared to have left him. In fact, she had been so eager to do so, that she even seemed willing to give up her career in favour of being a wife and mother. At this, however, Max had firmly rebutted her suggestion, stating that, at 21, she was too young to be giving up everything for a family. They'd have plenty of time for that in the future and her career was going so well that he couldn't just stand by and watch her throw it all away._

_Unfortunately, his words were the trigger for the huge argument they'd had on Friday and he hadn't spoken to her since. He'd tried calling her mobile several times over the last 2 days, but there had been no answer. No one seemed to know where she was and Max had no idea whether she was missing or if she'd instructed her friends and family not to tell him anything – he didn't know which scenario hurt more._

"_Well, don't hesitate to let us all know when it's official," stated the interviewer, once again interrupting Max's thoughts._

"_We won't," he said in reply, as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair._

_The interview continued to drag on as Jacob asked a few more questions about Max's working and personal relationships with Liz, which he answered the best he could, before eventually moving on to talk about Max's singles career. In any case, to say that Max was relieved when it was over was an understatement. As soon as he was able to escape the confines of the interview room, Max headed right for his car and broke almost every speeding law in his haste to get home to his and Liz's flat, in the hope that she might have returned home._

_However, the moment he pulled up outside the building and got out of the car, he just knew she wasn't home. For a start, her car was nowhere to be seen and the curtains were still closed – just as he'd left them this morning. Max closed his eyes in pain briefly before heading inside and up to the flat. The moment he let himself into his home… their home… and closed the door behind him, he sank down to his knees, his back sliding down the wall, as he buried his head in his hands._

_What had happened to his life? How had everything gone so wrong? And most importantly, why had Liz left and where the hell was she?_

_TBC…_


	15. Chapter 14

**Part Fourteen**

_**Tuesday 26**__**th**__** June 2007**_

Unlike her mixed doubles partner's response to winning his singles match the day before, Liz's reaction when she realised she'd won her first match in two years was very subdued. If fact, all she could do was let out a huge sigh of relief, before leaning forward to rest her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Despite her good progress in the last few weeks, it was painfully obvious to her that she wasn't yet up to the very high standard she had been at back before everything went wrong.

Still, after a long, and somewhat gruelling, couple of hours, she'd eventually shown the spectators and the critics that she still had what it took to win a match at Wimbledon. Sure, it might have only been the first round, but this year she couldn't afford to take anything for granted. As she gathered up her tennis bag and towels, she noticed that the crowd was still cheering her success and a fresh smile spread across her face, before she made her way over to the stands to greet the fans and sign autographs.

Once she had left the court, Liz gave her quick post-match interview and then quickly made her way to the changing rooms in an attempt to avoid any other questions. David had warned her this morning that the press was eager to get a story or two out of her reappearance at Wimbledon and situation with Max, and that she ought to be careful about walking around in public in the next few days. She took a quick shower and changed into a more comfortable outfit, before exiting the dressing rooms to find her father, who had told her he and her mum would wait for her in the VIP section of the clubhouse after the match.

Moving as quickly as possible to avoid the reporters and paparazzi waiting outside, she made her way over to the large building opposite the court and slipped inside. Giving a few people she knew a quick nod and a smile of thanks when they congratulated her on her win, Liz headed upstairs to the VIP area. She spotted her parents the moment she reached the top of the stairs; they were sitting at a table in the corner of the lounge room, chatting animatedly with a dark-haired man, who currently had his back to her. It took only a second for Liz to realise who it was and her heart did a nervous flip-flop in her chest as the implications hit her. Max was here, conversing with her parents and who knew what they could be talking about?

With a resigned sigh, Liz shifted the racket bag on her shoulder into a more comfortable position and began to walk across the room towards them, mentally preparing for the inevitable, upcoming confrontation between her parents, her ex and herself. As she reached the table, Nancy Parker chose that moment to look up and notice her standing behind them.

"Lizzie, dear, you're here! Congratulations, darling!" exclaimed her mum loudly, making Liz cringe slightly at the sudden noise and causing Max and Jeff to look up from their apparently engaging conversation.

"Thanks, Mum," smiled Liz as she placed her tennis bag on the floor and reached out to accept the hug her mother was offering. "Hey, Dad," she smiled as Nancy released her.

"Well done, Lizzie," congratulated Jeff, warmly, standing up to pull her into a quick hug, before indicating that she should sit.

Liz nodded and as she took the last spare seat at the table, she finally gathered the nerve to take a glance at Max for the first time that day.

"Hey, Max," she greeted softly, unsure as to where they currently stood with each other, especially considering that the last time they'd spoke, he'd told her to stay away from him until she could finally tell him the truth.

"Liz," he replied, his expression unreadable. "Congratulations on winning the match this afternoon."

"Thanks," she murmured, with a small nod. "Congratulations to you, too."

"Thanks," he said, quietly.

The two of them simply sat there, looking at each other awkwardly, until Jeff decided to step in and put them out of their misery.

"So, Lizzie, how was it getting back out on Centre Court again? Felt good, I bet," he said cheerfully, as he and Nancy took their seats once again.

"Yeah, it did," smiled Liz, with a slow nod. "I just hope I still have the strength and stamina to keep going for the next two weeks."

"I'm sure you'll do fine, darling," assured her mum, with a smile. "You're our little Lizzie, remember?"

"Of course, Mum," muttered Liz, as she tried to discretely roll her eyes.

It was typical of her mum to talk to her as if she was still a child, with all the 'darlings' and 'sweeties'. Liz knew that Nancy couldn't help the fact that she'd been brought up in a rich, upper class family; still her constant fluttering and posh mannerisms simply got on her nerves at times. Liz herself took after her father in more respects than just tennis. Jeff Parker was from a much more modest upbringing; his parents, Liz's grandparents, had been a school teacher (his mother) and a computer technician (his father), both from Nottingham and had only been able to afford Jeff's tennis coaching because he'd been granted a scholarship to a coaching school in London when he was a teenager.

Liz had always been more of a daddy's girl than a mummy's girl and had grown up to favour her father's outlook on life rather than her mother's. While Nancy was both a loving wife and caring mother, she was a little too obsessed with shopping and her social status for Liz's liking.

"I agree, you'll be fine," Max spoke up suddenly and Liz's eyes flew to him in surprise. He was sticking up for her? "After all, I am depending on you to help me win the doubles again this year, so you'd better do fine, more than fine, even."

Liz frowned and opened her mouth to object to the demanding nature of his statement, but something in his expression made her stop. He didn't look pissed off, as she'd expected him to when he spoke to her; instead his expression was unreadable and as his eyes locked with hers, Liz realised that rather than insulting her, he was actually implying that he was counting on her to play well with him so they could win the tournament together.

"Thanks," she murmured, quietly, unsure of how to respond.

At this point, Jeff took the opportunity to bring up Liz and Max's current doubles partnership.

"So you two, how is the training going? All prepared for the first round of the mixed on Friday?" he asked cheerfully.

Liz glanced at Max briefly, before replying, "Yeah, I think so. We still have a couple of things to go over before the first match, but we're almost there."

"She's right," spoke up Max when Jeff shifted his gaze towards him for confirmation.

"Liz is playing really well and I think we're finally finding our balance on court again."

"That's great, Max. Glad to hear everything's going well for you kids," he smiled, before turning serious and leaning in closer. "But, I do want to give you two some advice."

"Yes, Dad?"

"I know the two of you are not getting along too well at the moment…" Liz and Max shared an awkward glance at this, "… but what counts this week is that you go out on court and play your absolute best, no matter how difficult that is for you."

"We will, Dad, I promise," assured Liz, before Nancy cut in.

"I'm sure you will play wonderfully, darling," she told her with a smile.

"Thanks, Mum," said Liz with a smile, just as Jeff's mobile started to ring, interrupting their conversation.

He answered it, nodding occasionally, before pressing the phone to his chest and addressing Liz, "I'm sorry, Lizzie, but your mother and I are going to have to leave you to it for now; something's come up and our lawyer needs to see us this afternoon."

Liz smiled softly at her father; she was used to his busy lifestyle and it was common that he was called into meetings, TV spots or interviews regularly.

"That's okay, Dad, I understand," she told him. "You go and sort things out, I'll be fine here."

"Thank you, Lizzie," smiled Jeff, as he stood up and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair.

Nancy rose too, gathering her purse, before leaning down to give Liz a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"It was nice to see you again, Max," she smiled.

"You, too, Nancy," replied Max.

"Good luck for your match tomorrow," she added.

"Thank you."

Liz exchanged goodbyes with her parents and watched as they headed across the room and down the stairs, before she turned back to face Max at the table.

"So, um…" she started, with no clue as to how to finish.

"So…" repeated Max, shifting uncomfortably.

The awkward silence returned, as Liz racked her brains for something to say, as Max let his eyes flick around the room.

Just as she opened her mouth to say something about their not-so-pleasant conversation at the party the other night, Max beat her to it with words that afterwards, she almost wished he hadn't said.

"Well, this is awkward," he stated. "Especially, if you remember what happened that time we were alone together in this building."

Liz's eyes widened and she felt her face heating up as her gaze fell on the exit across the room and she recalled the evening he was referring to…

* * *

_**Saturday 19**__**th**__** June 2004 – Wimbledon 2004, London**_

"_Hey, you," murmured Max, as he came up behind Liz and slipped his arms around her waist, pressing a gentle kiss on her cheek._

"_Hey, hun," replied Liz, as she took her eyes off the small group of people she was talking to and smiled up at her boyfriend._

"_Evening, Max," smiled one of the men who had been talking to Liz, as he held out a hand in greeting._

"_John, how are you doing?" said Max, letting go of Liz for a moment to shake the man's hand. "It's good to see you again."_

"_You, too, man," replied the fellow tennis player. "Good party, huh?"_

"_Yeah, it is," smiled Max, as he turned to greet the other players in the small circle._

_Wimbledon 2004 was starting on Monday and they were all currently attending the pre-tournament social function at the All-England Club. _

"_Although, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to steal Liz for a minute, if you don't mind," added Max, as he slid an arm around Liz's waist again, holding her to his side. She grinned up at him as he dragged her away from the group._

_Taking her hand, Max led Liz quickly through the throng of people in the VIP area of the clubhouse and she could do nothing but follow behind him._

"_Max?" she tried, but his only reaction was to grip her hand more firmly and speed up his steps. "Honey? What's going on?"_

_He still said nothing, but instead pulled her through a door just outside the room, shut and locked it firmly behind her and pressed her up against it._

_All questions died on her lips as she felt Max's strong muscular form pressing up against her, his mouth attacking hers passionately. A quiet moan escaped from her lips as his hands slid up her body, brushing the sides of her breasts tantalisingly before burying themselves in her long hair._

"_Max," Liz gasped, her head falling back against the door as his lips finally left hers and he began to kiss a trail down her neck._

"_Lizzie," he murmured against her skin, his tongue slipping out to tickle her ear. "I need you… so much."  
_

"_And you had to decide this now?" she muttered. "Right in the middle of the party?"_

"_Hey, I can't help it that you're so irresistible," he whispered in reply, lifting his head to look into her eyes. "Lately, all I need is one look at you and I just… lose it."_

"_That better not be true," murmured Liz, her fingers clutching at his hair, as his hands moved down her back to cup her bottom and hoist her up so that her legs wrapped around his hips. "Otherwise we'd never get anywhere on court."_

_Max smirked at her as he lowered his mouth to hers once more, this time slipping his tongue between her lips. Liz gasped again when his hands tightened their grip on her behind, holding her lower body to his, letting her feel exactly how much he wanted her._

_Just the feel of Max's obvious arousal against her was enough to make Liz forget all about the fact that they were in a public place and that there were over a hundred people on the other side of the door she was currently pressed up against. Her hands slid down from Max's hair to the buttons of his smart shirt and as the intensity of his kisses increased, she began to unbutton them. When she reached the last few buttons, instead of opening them, she chose to slip her hands inside the shirt and caress his defined, muscular chest with her fingers._

_She heard Max suck in a breath at her touch and she tightened her legs around him when his hands left her bottom and moved to her skimpy, sparkly top. He slipped the thin straps down over her shoulders and let the soft material slide down, exposing her bra-clad chest. Liz's head fell back against the door once more as he pulled the lacy material away from her breasts and lowered his mouth to one of them. She clung to him, her arms around his shoulders, as he kissed and caressed her warm, aroused skin._

_It took only a few seconds of his sweet torture for need to take over her body and for her movements to become more frantic. Liz began to rock her hips against his, indicating to him the urgency of the situation and he didn't hesitate to oblige. His hand slid down between their bodies to the zip of his trousers and he quickly freed himself from their confines before walking his fingers beneath Liz's skirt and up her left thigh to her panties. _

"_You have anything?" questioned Liz, breathlessly, as his fingers slipped inside her knickers, stroking her gently._

"_Back pocket," he replied softly._

_Liz reached down to his trousers and pulled out a single square foil packet. Max pushed the material of her underwear aside, as he took the condom from Liz, unwrapping it and rolling it on. He grinned at her for a second, before moving his hands to her bottom again and pressing his lips to hers as he entered her gently._

_A sudden noise from outside the door startled them for a moment before the excitement of having sex in a public place overtook Liz and she rolled her hips as an indication to Max that he should continue. He nodded against her lips and began moving inside her._

Although frantic and exciting, their lovemaking was also intense and passionate and no less meaningful than any other time. As Max brought her to climax, Liz was overwhelmed by feelings of love and warmth towards him and when it was over, she simply wrapped her arms around him tightly and whispered how much she loved and adored him.

_They remained like that, clinging to each other until the afterglow began to fade and reality came rushing back. Max released his hold on Liz and they shared a love-filled glance before tidying themselves up and trying to make each other look presentable._

_They exited the small room separately, Max first, with Liz following a few seconds later and they met up again in the VIP section a couple of minutes later with huge smiles on their faces. As Max slipped his hand in hers and they made their way across the room again to the bar, the implications of what they'd just done began to dawn on Liz. She didn't regret it, but she knew she'd never look at that door and the small room behind it in the same way again…_

_

* * *

_

"Yeah, well," murmured Liz as the memory faded away. "That was a long time ago."

"Yeah, it was," agreed Max, as he turned to look out of the window. "Liz…"

"Max," Liz shook her head softly. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't give you the answers you need just yet. I want to, it's just…"

"You're not ready, I get it," he finished dully, looking down at the table where his fingers were tracing invisible patterns on the surface.

"Max…" she started, but found she couldn't continue.

"Just tell me one thing?" he asked. As he lifted his head to look at her, Liz was surprised to find tears shining in his eyes. "Was it me?"

"What?" she frowned. What was he talking about?

"Did I do something? Was I the reason you left?" he questioned urgently. "Was it what I said that day, when we argued? Because I didn't mean it, Liz, not really. It was just the heat of the moment, and…"

"Max, stop," Liz held up a hand to stop him. "It wasn't you, okay? I promise. It wasn't anything you did."

Max let out a sigh, that Liz could only guess was one of relief, "So, if it wasn't me, then what was it? What on Earth could have made you just leave like that?"

"I'm sorry, Max," repeated Liz, sorrowfully, as she reached for her bag and prepared to leave. "I just… I can't. Not yet. Please don't keep asking me about it, because I need some time to sort things out."

"But–"

"I just need some time," she stated. "I'm sorry, but I have to go now. I'll see you later."

With that, Liz turned on her heel and walked out of the room, not stopping until she was safely in the women's bathroom, behind a locked door and away from Max. Only then did she let her composure drop, as her face crumpled and she sank down to the floor, uncontrollable tears flowing down her cheeks.

Why had she thought she could handle being back in the game again, when she couldn't deal with being around Max in a non-tennis capacity for more than a few minutes without bursting into tears? How was she ever going to get out of this mess she'd created for herself?

Honestly? She had no idea.

_TBC…_


	16. Chapter 15

**Part Fifteen**

_**Wednesday 27**__**th**__** June 2007**_

As he warmed up for his second round match the next morning, Max found himself distracted and slightly clumsy with his shots. Instead of being on the upcoming match, his mind was instead filled with thoughts of Liz and the conversation he'd shared with her the day before. He was beginning to understand that Liz wasn't trying to hurt him on purpose and that the reason she wasn't being honest with him was not because she deliberately trying to withhold information from him, but because she was having a hard time dealing with it herself.

However, he just wished that she would confide in him about whatever it was that caused her sudden departure from his life. They used to be so close that they could talk to each other about anything, no matter how good or bad, but now it felt like they were strangers, unable to feel comfortable around each other. With thoughts of the past running through his mind, Max used the remainder of his pre-match practice time to vent some of his negative feelings towards Liz and to get them out of his system. By the time his coach appeared at the side of the practice court, to tell him that he needed to get ready, Max had made up his mind to find Liz later and apologise to her for his behaviour over the last couple of weeks. He hoped that by doing this, and supporting her she might feel ready to talk to him properly.

When his time was up, Max made his way out of the practice courts and towards the No. 1 Court changing rooms; however, just before he reached his destination, a familiar voice caught his attention and he stopped, turning to face the direction it had come from. There, standing off to his left, stood his mum and dad, along with his sister Isabel and Tess, her best friend and partner in crime. With a wide grin, he strolled over to his family, pulling first his mother, then his father and finally, Isabel into a hug, before saying hello to Tess.

"Hey, guys, what are you doing here?" he asked with a smile. "I thought you couldn't make any of the matches this week?"

"So did we," smiled Diane Evans. "But we managed to get the day off today and Izzy had two free periods this afternoon, so we decided to come and see you play after all."

"That's great," Max told her. "Thank you."

He knew how difficult it was for his parents to find the time and the money to come and see his play in tournaments. His family wasn't poor, but they weren't well off either. His dad, Philip Evans, was an office worker for an electronics company and his mum, Diane, was a lab technician at one of the more prestigious universities in London. Together, they earned enough to live comfortably, but unfortunately their modest salaries didn't allow for trips around the world to see Max play in tournaments.

Of course, when he started winning the tournaments and earning prize money, Max had offered repeatedly to help them out financially if they needed some extra cash, but his parents would hear nothing of it, insisting that it was his own hard earned money and not theirs. However, he still felt guilty that he had so much, when they worked hard for every penny and so spared no expense when it came to buying birthday and Christmas presents for his family.

"Well, we wanted to come and wish you luck before the match," smiled Philip. "Didn't we, Izzy?"

"What?" Isabel asked as Max watched her tear her eyes away from two young male tennis players standing by the clubhouse. "Oh, yeah. Good luck," she muttered distractedly before nudging Tess and nodding meaningfully towards the boys she'd been staring at.

Max rolled his eyes at her typical, not entirely unexpected attitude towards his playing, before replying, "Thanks, Iz."

"Isabel!" admonished Diane, with a shake of her head. "That's no way to talk to your brother. You know Max has worked hard to get where he has and he doesn't need you acting like a spoiled brat."

"Whatever, Mum," Isabel rolled her eyes and began giggling with Tess. Max shot his parents a look that said 'typical Izzy'.

"Well, thanks for wishing me luck. I'd better go and get ready for the match, but I'll see you afterwards, okay?" he said then, shifting the tennis bag on his shoulder.

"Alright, then, dear," said Diane, as she gave him one more hug, "Good luck."

Max said goodbye to his family and headed into the changing rooms, where he found his opponent pacing nervously around the benches. Max sucked in a breath before greeting the young man before him, knowing that mentally, it was going to be a tough match for both of them.

"Hi, James," he announced his presence, as he placed his belongings on one of the benches.

"Max, hi," squeaked the boy, nervously, before coughing in embarrassment. "Sorry… I'm just nervous, you know, to be playing against you."

"I know this is a big match for you," he acknowledged, with a sympathetic nod. "But my advice? Just go out there and play your best. Pretend it's not me on the other side of the net, forget that you know me and that we're friends and just do what you do best. It worked for me when I was starting out."

"Thanks, Max," James shot him a grateful look, before heading towards the bathroom.

Once he'd disappeared through the door, Max let out a sigh and sank down onto the bench. Out of the thirty-one other players left in the tournament, what were the chances he'd end up playing James Abbott, a newcomer to the men's game and the brother of his friend Jessica, both of whom he'd known for years?

What made it so tough was that he knew he intended to win this match and was not going to be lenient on the boy, yet it was going to be hard not to also support James too. He didn't want to see his young fan's heart broken, but at the same time, it was his goal to finally win Wimbledon this year and he couldn't afford to let his emotions get in the way of that.

* * *

As Max had predicted, the match appeared to be tough on James and he could imagine how daunting it must have been for the boy to be playing against his idol and current world number one – he was sure he'd have felt the same way if he'd had to play against Jeff Parker in his first ever big tournament.

However, Max couldn't help but be proud of him for coping so well during the match. He had to admit that Jessica's brother was a very good tennis player and despite his earlier nervousness, had really opened up on court and had even managed to give him a run for his money by winning the second set and turning it into a four-set match. At the end of the day, Max was still the stronger player, but he was very proud of the newcomer's determination and drive. Although Max won the match in the end, James bowed out with a very respectable defeat, having lost to Max 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Afterward, Max invited both James and Jessica, who had been watching from the VIP section of the court, to join him and his family for drinks in the clubhouse. The next hour was spent socialising with his family and doing his best to keep his seventeen-year-old sister and her troublesome best friend from drinking too much and flirting shamelessly with male tennis players who were much too old for them.

Once he was satisfied that Isabel and Tess weren't going to cause any more trouble, Max relaxed a little and allowed himself to enjoy the afternoon. However, a moment later, he noticed James standing alone by the large windows that looked out over the court and made his way over to him.

"Hey," Max greeted the younger player, softly. "You played a great match today. You should be proud of yourself."

Beside him, James sighed, despondently, "I know; it's just…"

"Hard when you lose," finished Max, with a knowing nod. "I know, I've been there plenty of times before."

James turned to him, "How did you deal with it? How did you stay positive?"

An indulgent smile appeared on Max's face as an old memory sprung to mind, "Well, whenever I had a bad match, Liz would–"

"Okay, um, you know what? I don't think wanna hear what Liz would do," James cut in quickly, but Max was already caught up in his memories of a better time in his life…

* * *

_**Tuesday 25**__**th**__** January 2005 – Australian Open 2005, Melbourne**_

"_Fuck," muttered Max to himself, as he stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around his waist and made his way back out to the changing area. "Bollocks."_

_He couldn't believe it had happened again; he'd lost in the quarterfinal of yet another Grand Slam. What was the matter with him lately? Unless he was playing mixed doubles with Liz, he couldn't seem to pull out all the stops to win the tournaments. Something just wasn't clicking in his singles game and it was holding him back._

_Still cursing under his breath, Max pulled on a clean pair of shorts and a T-shirt, before stuffing everything into his tennis bag. He slipped his feet into a pair of flip-flops and headed outside into the extreme heat of the Australian summer. He barely had time to register his surroundings before he felt two arms encircle his neck and a familiar petite body pull him into a tight hug._

"_I'm sorry," she murmured, as Max wrapped his arms around her in return._

"_Yeah, well," he muttered against her shoulder, shrugging in a 'what can you do?' gesture._

_Liz must have heard the defeat in his tone, because she pulled back to look at him, her expression sympathetic as she cupped his cheek with her hand and shook her head gently._

"_Hey, don't beat yourself up about it, okay? You should be proud of yourself; you played a great match," she told him sincerely._

"_Yeah, but the other guy was better," stated Max, dejectedly._

"_Max, the other guy is the best player in the world and hasn't dropped a set yet on the hard courts this season," Liz reasoned. "You played the best you could, but the guy barely made a single mistake the entire match; that's not your fault."_

_Although he knew Liz was talking sense, Max still couldn't help feeling like he'd failed. It was just so hard to keep your spirits up when you felt like you were never gonna make it to the top. Liz watched him for a moment, before a small smile tugged at her lips as she stepped out of his embrace._

"_Come on, you look like you need some cheering up," she stated, grabbing him by the hand and urging him to follow her._

_Max felt an involuntary smile tugging at his own lips as he found himself being dragged through the throng of people that were milling around outside the courts. He didn't know how she did it, but when he was down, Liz always managed to make him forget about everything else but her._

_

* * *

_

_Less than ten minutes later, Liz pulled him through the door of their hotel room and locked the door behind them._

"_Liz, what–?"_

"_Shh," Liz silenced him with a finger to his lips, before leading him over to the large double bed in the middle of the room. She let go of his hand, kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed, kneeling in the centre, before patting the space beside her in invitation. "Come on."_

_With a slightly puzzled expression, Max complied, sliding his feet out of the flip-flops he was wearing and took a seat next to her on the bed._

"_Lie down," she told him and a grin began to spread across his face as he moved to lie on his back, but Liz just shook her head, as if reading his thoughts, "Turn over."_

"_Okay…" he said, finally, as he turned over, getting settled on his stomach. "What are you…? Oh," he murmured in comprehension when she moved over him, straddling his body as she sat comfortably on the back of his thighs and lifted her hands to his shoulders._

"_You're really tense," she murmured, as she began to gently massage the knots out of his shoulders._

"_Hmm," Max replied, as he close his eyes and began to relax beneath her soothing touch. He felt Liz move above him and as her long hair brushed against arm and her warm breath tickled his ear, he became all too aware of her closeness._

"_I think you deserve some pampering after that tough match today, don't you?" she whispered against his ear. "So you just relax, and let me take care of you, okay?"_

"_S-sure," he managed, all rational thought leaving his mind, as she nuzzled his neck, her soft lips grazing the sensitive skin just behind his ear._

_Liz then began to work out all the tension from Max's body, her fingers caressing and kneading the entire length of his back along with his shoulders and neck. Neither of them spoke for several minutes, other than the occasional moan of pleasure from Max at the feel of Liz's heavenly ministrations, until Liz lifted Max's shirt and encouraged him to let her take it off so she could be more thorough in her pampering. He lifted his upper body to allow her to pull the offending garment over his head, before settling back down against the duvet covers with a smile on his face.  
_

_Despite Liz's good intentions towards making him feel better, the second the shirt left his body, Max could feel the atmosphere in the room change and as her soft fingers caressed the bare skin of his lower back, the sexual tension between them began to rise. His breath hitched in his throat when he heard a soft gasp from above him and Liz's hands left his back for a moment. Before he had time to wonder why she was no longer touching him, he felt the warm, bare skin of her chest pressing against him and his lower body tightened in response._

"_I love you," Liz whispered, her lips softly caressing his shoulder as her hands slid up and down his sides in smooth strokes. _

"_Love you, too," murmured Max, his eyes still closed as he revelled in the sensations shooting through his body._

"_And you know it doesn't matter to me whether you win or lose a match," she told him sincerely, as she continued to run her fingers over his skin teasingly. "To me, you'll always be the best player on that court and what's important is that we're happy and we're together. It's just not the end of the world, okay?"_

_Her words struck Max right to the core and in response, he shifted beneath her, as he tried to turn over to face her. Liz moved to give him room, before settling above him once more, her legs now straddling his hips._

"_Thank you," he murmured, his voice trembling slightly, as he lifted one hand to caress her face. "For believing in me; for loving me."_

_She nodded, smiling softly and Max reached out to wrap his arms around her pulling her to him. He sighed as her bare chest came in contact with his and a shiver ran through him. He buried a hand in her hair as he brought her mouth down to his, kissing her softly._

_They made love slowly and reverently, as Max made sure to take his time and savour every moment. He clung to Liz tightly the whole time, only letting go of her to remove their clothes before wrapping his arms around her once more as she sunk down onto him, causing them both to cry out with pleasure at the feeling._

_Afterwards, as they lay together in each other's arms, Max realised that Liz had more than done what she'd planned to do – that was, to cheer him up – she'd also made him understand that in the grand scheme of things, winning wasn't everything. No, being happy and in love was the most important thing of all…_

_

* * *

_

"Sorry," Max cleared his throat as the memories faded from his mind and he realised what he'd almost revealed to James about his relationship with Liz.

"Don't worry about it," replied the younger player. "So, since she's nowhere in sight today, I'm guessing that you and Liz haven't made up yet, huh?"

"No, we haven't" admitted Max. "It's… complicated."

James nodded, before looking out of the window again. The two of them stood in silence for a couple of moments before James frowned slightly and gestured to something outside.

"Hey, isn't that Liz down there now?"

"What?" questioned Max, before glancing out of the window and seeing Liz standing alone down by one of the courts. "Oh, yeah, it is."

"Why don't you go talk to her?" suggested James. "Maybe it'll help?"

Max hesitated for a second before deciding that he didn't really have anything to lose by trying to talk to her. At best, she might finally feel she could tell him what was going on and at worst, she might tell him to fuck off.

"Okay," he nodded. "I will."

Before he could change his mind, Max put down his wine glass and made his way out of the clubhouse, towards Liz. Spotting her walking along past one of the stadium entrances to Centre Court, he paused for a second to suck in a deep breath before starting to walk towards her.

However, he didn't get more than a few metres away from her, as something stopped him in his tracks. Liz's face had broken into a grin and Max watched as an unfamiliar man approached her and pulled her into his arms. She hugged him tightly, before placing a kiss on his cheek and then began chatting excitedly to him.

Max closed his eyes and turned away as his heart sank. A few days ago, Jeff Parker had paid him a visit, telling him that Liz was having trouble getting close to people and letting them in, yet here she was, hugging and kissing and talking intimately with another man.

It was obvious that Liz was avoiding talking to him about the past, because she didn't want him to know the truth, but what could have been so bad that she couldn't even talk to him about it, then or now?

_TBC…_


	17. Chapter 16

**Part Sixteen**

_**Wednesday 27**__**th**__** June 2007**_

Liz sighed as she walked aimlessly around the grounds of the All England Club that afternoon. She knew Max's second round match had just finished and that he'd won – she'd caught a glimpse of the match on the large screen outside Centre Court as she'd left the practice courts earlier – and she'd seen him head into the clubhouse with his family and friends.

It had been strange for her to watch them from a distance rather than being included in the post-match celebrations as she had always been in the past. As she wandered between the courts, she wondered not for the first time, why it was that she couldn't just open up to Max and admit the truth to him. She knew that she needed to and even that she wanted to confide in him, but something was holding her back; something was preventing her from taking that final step to being honest with him and she didn't understand what that something was.

"Liz! Hey, Liz!"

At the sudden shout from her left, Liz turned to see a very familiar, and also very unexpected, figure approaching her with a grin on his face.

"Oh my God," she muttered with a huge smile, as the man reached her and pulled her into a hug. "Martin, I can't believe it!" she cried in surprise as she wrapped her arms around him, before pulling back and pressing a friendly kiss to his cheek. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Thailand?"

"Well, I said I'd contact you if I was in the neighbourhood and it just so happens that the opportunity came up just after we talked last week," replied the tall, blond-haired, ex-banker with a grin.

"That's right, you did," agreed Liz, with a chuckle, as she slipped her arm in his and they began to walk through the grounds. "So, how long are you in London for?"

"A couple of weeks, actually," replied Martin. "A cousin of mine is getting married in a few days, so I'm back for the wedding."

"That's great," smile Liz. "Tell your cousin congratulations from me."

"I will," nodded Martin. "So what are your plans for the rest of the afternoon? Care to spend some time with an old friend?"

"Sure, I'd love that," said Liz, enthusiastically. "But I have a match to play tomorrow afternoon, so I can't stay out too late."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you get an early night," he assured her. "I wouldn't want to be responsible for you losing at Wimbledon."

"Well, okay, then," smiled Liz, as they made their way out of the Wimbledon grounds. "You up for something to eat?"

They opted to grab a bite to eat in a small, local pub a few streets away from the tennis club and Liz found that spending time with Martin took her mind off her problems with Max for a couple of hours, something she was glad of. It was nice to simply relax and not have to think about her life for a while. Apart from a couple of questions about how things were going with Max this week, for the most part, Martin steered clear of the topic, which allowed the two of them to catch up on old times.

By the time she had wished him goodnight, arranged for him to come and watch her match the next day and headed back to her hotel room after a wonderful evening, Liz was actually feeling much more positive about everything and even found herself wondering if she might just be strong enough to finally come clean with Max.

* * *

_**Thursday 28**__**th**__** June 2007**_

As positive as she had been feeling the night before, by the time Liz woke up on Thursday morning, all of those good feelings had disappeared and had been replaced by insecurity and just tiredness in general. In fact, Liz knew as soon as she opened her eyes, that it was not going to be a good day. When she stepped under the spray of the shower, the only thing she had the energy to do was lean back against the shower wall with her eyes closed and let her head rest against the cool tiles, as she tried to muster up some energy for her upcoming match that afternoon.

By the time she left her hotel room later that morning and reached the tennis club, her mood had improved somewhat, but her body had yet to catch up. As she entered the clubhouse, she found Martin waiting for her in the lobby, just as they'd arranged the night before and a smile made its way across her face.

"Hey, you made it," she stated, as she slid her arms around him in a brief hug.

"I did," he smiled, as he released her. "I wasn't going to miss my first chance to see you in live in action."

"Thanks," smiled Liz. "Look, I've gotta go and get ready for the match now, but you've got your VIP ticket, right?" Martin nodded in response. "Great, and I'll see you after the match, okay?"

"Good luck, Liz," said her friend, as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "You'll be great out there, I'm sure."

"Thanks," she told him again, before saying goodbye and heading for the court changing rooms to get ready.

As she left, she missed the fact that Max was standing across the room, talking to Jessica Abbott, a confused and forlorn expression marring his handsome features as he witnessed the entire exchange between her and Martin.

* * *

Out on court thirty minutes later, Liz found herself unable to concentrate fully on her warm-up. Her eyes felt sore and tired and she couldn't seem to focus on the ball as easily as she should. Unfortunately, her ability to get her mind straight was prevented by the presence of four very familiar faces in the VIP box – one was Martin, which in itself, was no problem, but the three others sitting a few seats away were distracting her to no end.

What had made Max decide to come and watch her play today? The two of them were still barely talking and neither had attended the other's matches so far this week, so what was different about today? Perhaps his companions were the reason – both Jessica and James Abbott had once both been close friends of hers and of Max's, maybe they had invited Max to join them? Liz didn't know, but she couldn't help the curiosity distracting her from her game.

Liz was still distracted when the match started a few minutes later and her lack of concentration led to a disappointing first set, in which she fumbled with her shots and hit two double faults on important points, allowing her opponent to easily beat her with 6 games to 2. It took her a few minutes to get back on track in the second set, but eventually she did manage to start winning the points and she won the set 6-4. The final set was neck and neck as Liz played the best she could, although she was tired, and her opponent really held on.

After almost two hours of play and a long fifty-minute third set, Liz finally found herself ahead at 8 games to 7, with two match points. She sucked in a deep breath, as she took in the shouts and cheers of encouragement from the crowd, before she served for the match. She bounced the ball on the grass, glancing briefly at the VIP section and catching Max's eye. She was disappointed to see that he only wore a slight smile and as he murmured something to Jessica on his right, a wave of jealousy and sadness washed over her. Deciding not to let it get to her, she quickly averted her gaze towards Martin, who gave her a grin of encouragement.

With determination, she tossed the ball into the air and bought her racket down on it, sending the shot flying over the net. Her opponent was quick to return and the rally continued for the next few strokes, until the other girl stumbled and Liz was able to neatly place the ball in the opposite corner of the court, thereby winning the match. Her energy suddenly renewed, Liz let out a triumphant cry and punched the air with her fist.

As she walked to the net to shake hands with her opponent, she caught a glimpse of Max once more. He was looking right at her, smiling and nodding as he clapped along with the rest of the crowd. Her eyes locked with his and in that moment, an old memory came flooding back to her, one that she'd been careful to avoid thinking about over the last two years: the day Max got down on one knee and asked her to be his wife…

* * *

_**Sunday 4**__**th**__** June 2005 – French Open, Paris**_

"_You did it!" exclaimed Max with a grin as he leaned over the barrier separating the two of them and wrapped his arms around Liz. "You won, Liz!"_

_Liz couldn't keep the huge grin off her face as she returned the hug, pressing her lips to Max's quickly before reluctantly letting go and heading back out onto the court to receive the winner's cup._

_After the presentations were over, Liz joined Max and their families and friends in their hotel for a post-tournament celebration. After almost two hours of chatting and laughing with everyone, Max slid his arms around Liz and quietly suggested that perhaps she might like to head into the centre of Paris with him for some time alone together. Of course, she couldn't pass up a now rare opportunity for some leisure time to spend with him at a tournament, so Liz happily agreed and they said their goodbyes to their guests before leaving the hotel._

_Liz found herself unable to wipe the delighted grin off the face the entire evening. The whole day, and the last couple of days, in fact, had been absolutely perfect. She and Max had won the mixed doubles cup the day before and just a few hours ago, she'd won the singles. Max had made it through to the men's semi-finals earlier in the day yesterday, but unfortunately lost the match in a very close fourth-set tiebreak. _

_However, if he was upset at all about being knocked out so close to the end, he definitely wasn't showing it tonight. In fact, he had been absolutely amazing; first, he'd taken __her out to dinner at a gorgeous little gourmet restaurant near the Sacré Coeur on Montmartre __and now they were walking hand-in-hand along the River Seine, watching the sunset._

"_Wow, what a gorgeous view," sighed Liz contentedly as they stopped halfway across one of the bridges crossing the river to take in the sight of the Eiffel Tower at sunset. _

"_Yeah, it is," murmured Max, his tone soft and holding a hint of something that had Liz turning her head to look up at him._

_Her breath caught in her throat at the dark, intense expression in his eyes as he slid his other hand in hers and turned her to face him properly._

"_Max?" she wondered aloud at the sudden change in the atmosphere between them, but he said nothing at first, but just simply gazed down at her as his thumbs gently caressed the back of her hands._

"_I love you, Liz," he declared softly, a moment later._

"_I love you, too," responded Liz automatically, as she gave him a loving smile._

"_You're beautiful, and sexy, and I just love you so much. You are the most kind, considerate and loving person I've ever met–"_

"_Max, I–" Liz cut in, as she shook her head in protest. _

_She knew how other people still saw her: as a wild, party-loving daughter of a famous tennis player, despite the fact that she'd stopped drinking and partying so much soon after she and Max had become a couple and that she'd more than proved herself as a good player without the help of her father's status. _

"_Shh, don't," Max stopped her with a finger to her lips. "It's true," he told her sincerely, as he let his finger leave her lips and then slipped his hand in hers once more. "Liz, you mean everything in the world to me and now, more than ever, I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you."_

"_Max," Liz said again, this time her voice trembling with emotion. "I–" her words caught in her throat and she exhaled sharply as Max gave her a tender smile, before slipping one hand into his pocket, pulling out a small, square jewellery box and sliding down onto one knee as he opened it to reveal a gorgeous diamond ring. "Oh my God," she gasped._

"_Elizabeth Parker, will you marry me?" he uttered the words smoothly, yet so sincerely that it brought tears to her eyes and for a moment, she couldn't speak._

"I–" Liz struggled to form words as a flow of sudden emotion swept through her. No matter how many times she'd dreamed of this moment in the past, now that it was actually happening she was so completed unprepared for it, she didn't know how to react.

"_Lizzie?" asked Max shakily, as a look of worry suddenly crossed his otherwise flawless features._

"_Yes," she finally managed. "Yes, I'll marry you, Max."_

"_Really?" he wondered, the anxious expression suddenly dissolving into a huge grin._

"_Yes, really," Liz returned the grin, as happiness flooded through her body._

_Max grinned up at her happily as he slipped the ring onto her finger and kissed it tenderly, before standing up, pulling her into his arms and crushing his mouth to hers._

_An amazing feeling of warmth and love swept over Liz as her lips moulded to his and her arms wrapped around his neck, holding him tightly to her. The kiss was somehow both incredibly gentle yet breathtakingly passionate at the same time, as Max first nibbled tenderly at her mouth, before slowly slipping his tongue between her lips, sending tingles down her spine at the intimate contact._

_She didn't know how long they remained locked in each other's arms, mouths fused together, but Liz didn't really care. All that mattered right now was that she was in Max Evans' arms, surrounded by his love. When oxygen eventually became a major issue for both of them, Liz reluctantly pulled away, panting breathlessly as she gazed into Max's eyes. With a lazy smile, he cupped her cheeks with both hands, his thumbs gently caressing her cheeks, before he spoke softly._

"_I love you, Lizzie," he declared. "With all my heart."_

"_And I love you, too, Max," she replied._

"_Come on," he murmured, stepping back slightly and taking her hand once more. "Let's go back to the hotel. I think we have some celebrating to do."_

_Liz smiled softly, as she allowed him to lead the way off the bridge and towards their hotel. However, as they stepped into a cab and drove down __les Champs-Elysées__, Liz had a niggling feeling that things weren't necessarily going to be all plain sailing for them in the next few weeks._

_TBC…_


	18. Chapter 17

**Part Seventeen**

_**Friday 29**__**th**__** June 2007**_

Max didn't know what to think about Liz anymore as he headed towards the practice courts to meet Liz and David for a last-minute pep talk regarding their first-round mixed doubles match that afternoon. Just two days ago, he'd been prepared to approach her and talk to her rationally, yet seeing her being so close with that blond man – whoever he was – both two night ago and also at her match the day before, was making him rethink his decision.

A thousand different scenarios now ran through his mind whenever he tried to come up with a reason for her easygoing behaviour around this man, especially after Jeff had told him that she was going through a tough time. Although he'd spent months denying the possibility even before Jeff had approached him, Max suddenly found himself wondering if perhaps she had in fact left him for another man. And that thought literally made his heart ache.

"Hey, Max," Liz gave him a small smile as he entered the practice court and approached his partner and her coach.

Max could only give a tight nod and a muttered, "Liz," in reply as the memory of seeing her wrap her arms tightly around that… man… replayed in his mind. "Hey, David."

"Good morning, Max," nodded David, before getting right down to business. "Okay, guys, this is it, the first big match. I know you've been here, done this before, but I'm gonna say this anyway: for the next few hours, the game is more important than anything else, so any problems you might be having with each other at the moment are to be left on the practice courts, okay?"

"Of course," spoke up Max, knowing that he was the one who had more of a problem with Liz right now than she did with him.

"Sure," added Liz. "The tennis comes first."

"Okay, great," smiled David. "Right then, let's go over a few final things before you're due out on court, okay?"

"Sure, fire away," nodded Max, eager to get on with things instead of dwelling on Liz and her new friend.

David spent the next few minutes going over some key moves and tactics with Max and Liz before he wished them good luck for the upcoming match and they left the practice courts to get ready to play.

The first round mixed doubles matches were being held on the smaller, outside courts, but due to the fact that Max and Liz were on court, the courtside seating was already packed with fans when they arrived on court to warm up.

After several minutes of limbering up, the umpire called for play to begin. Since they'd won the toss-up, Liz was first to serve and as Max shifted his weight from foot to foot at the front of the court in preparation for the game to start, he had to take a few breaths to calm himself for the match ahead. Of course, doubles matches required the players to interact with one another on court and discuss tactics between games and he knew that he couldn't afford to jeopardise their chances or to show weakness in front of their opponents by being standoffish with her in front of everyone.

His problem with that wasn't so much having to converse with her, but more that in order to do so, he would have to be close to her physically and it was going to be difficult when all he could do at the moment was picture her laughing with another man… a man who just happened to be seated in the audience just a few feet away right this very minute. He could already tell that this wasn't going to be an easy match for him.

* * *

Thirty-five minutes later, Max and Liz were holding steady at 5 games to 4, having broken serve in the sixth game, and it was up to Liz to serve for the set. So far, Max had found that the two of them were playing well together. Although there was a slight awkwardness between them, they were both professional enough not to let it interfere with their game. However, despite their good partnership during the match, Max couldn't help but notice that Liz wasn't quite as 'on form' as he knew she could be and the thought that perhaps she was struggling with the match today worried him just a little.

However, despite hitting her first serve of the game into the net, Liz played extremely well for the remainder of the set, first serving two consecutive aces, bringing the score to 30-0 and then managing to place the ball over the net so that Max had the opportunity to win the next two points, and therefore the set, on the return. However, after a comfortable first set win, their opponents turned up the heat in the second set, bringing it to a close tiebreak, which unfortunately Max and Liz lost 7-5.

As they went into the and final set of the match, Max couldn't help but notice that Liz seemed to be losing steam somewhat. The quality of her serves had slipped slightly – she was hitting more and more first serves out than she would usually – and it hadn't escaped his attention that whenever they had a short break between games, Liz spent the majority of that time with her head in her hands, as if she had very little energy to play.

As they headed back out onto the court after one such break, Max asked her if she was okay, but she simply dismissed his concern, telling him that she was just a little tired after her match the day before and that nothing was wrong. Max relented, but found that he couldn't stop worrying about her for the rest of the match.

While it was apparent that Liz's game wasn't quite as up and together as it had been in the first set, their opponents also seemed to be making a lot of unforced errors during the third set and so both teams were pretty even. Although he had originally been confident that they would win this first-round match, as the final set score reached four games all, Max began to wonder if he and Liz were as fully prepared for Wimbledon as they should have been. However, his worries became unfounded as a few moments later at break point, their opposition double-faulted and Max and Liz won the game, allowing Max to then serve for the match.

The next few points were touch and go as Max made a couple of mistakes on his serve and the score became 30-all. The pressure now really on, Max gave the next serve his all, hitting a powerful 135mph ace right down the centre line and it was match point. Taking a deep, calming breath, before he bounced the ball, Max glanced briefly at Liz's crouched form at the net and he felt an old, almost forgotten emotion well up inside him. For a moment, his mind travelled back to a time when he and Liz had been together and he'd felt like the happiest man in the world.

With those thoughts in mind, Max threw the ball into the air, brought his racket smashing down and sent it over the net. It was easily returned and the rally continued for several more strokes, until Max sent an exceptionally powerful shot over the net, causing their female opponent to miss the return and the ball bounced neatly in the back corner of the court.

"Yes!"

Max punched the air with his fist, before turning to Liz, who had a huge grin on her face, and pulling her into a celebratory hug. It was only brief, but the sudden contact with her after so long sent a tingle through Max's whole body and left him breathless. As he let her go and they gathered up their bags, he couldn't help but wish that the last two years had never happened and that he and Liz were still happy and in love. However, the pleasant thoughts ended a few moments later when he saw Liz's blond man grinning at her and giving her a thumbs up from the VIP box, and Max remembered what had happened the last time he and Liz had seen each other before she disappeared two years earlier…

* * *

_**Friday July 15**__**th**__** 2005 – London**_

"_Morning," smiled Max, as he entered the living room of their flat and spotted Liz lounging on the sofa watching TV. She hadn't been in bed when he'd woken up a few minutes ago, so after he'd got dressed, he had gone looking for her_

"_Hey," replied Liz softly, briefly glancing his way before turning her attention back to the programme on TV._

"_I thought I'd spend some time out on the practice courts this morning," he told her, as he came up behind the sofa and leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Care to join me?"_

_Liz shook her head, "No, it's okay. I don't really feel like it today. You go ahead, though."_

_Max frowned as he stood up, "Lizzie, are you okay? You've been feeling like this for the last few days."_

"_I'm fine, Max," she said wearily. "I'm just tired from the tournaments the last few weeks. I just want to have some time to relax before the next one."_

"_Okay, fair enough," said Max, with a shrug. "I'll call Nathan and see if he wants a knock up with me this morning." He moved to kiss her again, this time on the lips. "I'll be back this afternoon, okay?"_

"_Okay," replied Liz, with a hint of a smile. "Have fun."_

"_I will," said Max, as he picked up his training bag. "Love you,"_

_As he left the room, he heard the faint sound of Liz replying, "Love you, too," and a smile crept onto his face as thoughts of her soon becoming his wife flooded through his mind._

_

* * *

_

_When he returned to the flat a good four hours later, Max felt like he was floating on air. The sun was shining, he'd just beaten Nathan in a friendly three-set match and he couldn't wait to spend the entire afternoon alone with his fiancée. Life was good, he decided as he slid his key into the lock and opened his front door._

_However, his good mood dissipated slightly when he entered the living room to find Liz still draped across the sofa, TV remote in her hand. The only difference between now and this morning being the fact that she'd washed her hair and had gotten dressed._

"_Hey, I'm back," he announced, a smile on his face as he reached the sofa. _

"_Hey," replied Liz, as she moved her legs and sat up so he could take a seat._

_She gave him a small smile and shifted so that she could snuggle against his chest. His own smile widening, Max wrapped his arm around her and held her close, tangling his fingers in her long, shiny hair, as he kissed her forehead tenderly._

"_Good practice?" she asked softly, after a moment of sitting together in silence._

"_Yeah, it was. I beat Nathan in straight sets," grinned Max._

"_Good for you," chuckled Liz._

"_So, what have you been up to today?" he asked her then._

"_Not much," she shrugged. "Just watching TV and stuff."_

"_Um, Liz, I know you say you're fine, but something's obviously going on. It's like you haven't been as interested in training and playing the last few weeks – even in Wimbledon last week, it was like your heart wasn't quite in it."_

_Liz was silent for a long moment and Max began to worry that she wasn't going to answer him, but then she sat up slowly to look at him._

"_Max, what would you think if I told you I was thinking about retiring from tennis?" she started hesitantly._

"_What?" to say he was surprised at the suggestion what an understatement. "What are you talking about, Lizzie? You're at the peak of your career, why would you want to give that up now?"_

"_I know, but I've been thinking lately about the future and our lives together, and I realised something. While I love playing tennis, what I want more than anything else is to live my life with you. I want to settle down, I want to have children and I don't want my career to get in the way of that."_

"_But, Liz," said Max, as he sat up straighter. "We don't have to do that right now; we've only been engaged for a few weeks. There'll be plenty of time in the future for a family, when we're too old to play tennis."_

"_But, what if I want it now?" countered Liz, standing up to pace in front of him. "What if I don't care about milking my career for all it's worth," she added, a not-so-subtle dig at Max and his apparent opinion._

"_You think that's what I'm doing? Milking my career?" asked Max, his voice rising up a notch, as he too stood up to join her. "I'm three years older than you – my career's already half-way over, but you… you're only twenty-one, Liz, you're just getting started. God, you just won your first Grand Slam singles title last month and already you're talking about throwing in the towel!"_

"_It's not like that, Max," cried Liz suddenly, her eyes filling with tears._

"_Oh, really? Well, it sounds that way to me," he returned. "So, tell me, Liz, what is it like, then?" _

"_I want to marry you, and have your children, and live in a nice house in the suburbs," she told him, tearfully. "I want to be happy."_

"_I thought playing tennis made you happy," Max stated, rather than questioned._

"_Yeah, well, maybe things change," retorted Liz._

"_Look," started Max gently, in an attempt to calm the situation. "I want you to be happy too, but it just seems that you're trying to rush into things too quickly. You're young enough to still be able to enjoy a few more years of playing tennis before we decide to start a family."_

_Liz stared at him, a strange expression on her face, "You know, it's starting to sound a lot like you're trying to stall things here. Tell me, Max, why did you ask me to marry you the other week, when it seems like you're not ready to be married to anyone just yet?"_

"_That's not what I'm saying, Liz!" he burst out in exasperation. "I love you more than anything else in this world and there's nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you and our future family, but can't we just enjoy our careers for a while first? I know how much the sport makes you happy, even if you try to deny it yourself and I don't want you to look back in a few years and regret leaving so young."_

"_I wouldn't regret it, okay?" she yelled angrily, before taking a deep breath to calm herself down a little. "I know what I want."_

"_Well, in that case, if it's so important to you, why don't you go find someone else to ruin your career for you, because I won't do it," stated Max firmly, as he moved away from her and towards the living room door. "I can't."_

"_Max…" Liz protested, tears now flowing down her cheeks._

_But Max just shook his head, "I can't be here with you right now, Liz."_

_Breathing hard with anger, Max stalked out of the room, grabbed his bag and left the flat once more. However, little did he know that Liz would not be there when he returned, nor would he see her again for another two years._

_TBC..._


	19. Chapter 18

**Part Eighteen**

_**Saturday 30**__**th**__** June 2007**_

Max wasn't exactly sure what possessed him to go and watch Liz's third round match that afternoon, especially since the memories of their break-up had been fresh in his mind just yesterday. But nevertheless, he found himself showing his player's badge to the officials outside Court No. 1 and heading inside a few minutes before Liz and her opponent were due to arrive on court.

He made his way through the corridors leading to the stadium seating, stopping occasionally to say hello to a few people he recognised and to sigh autographs for fans. However, as he rounded the last corner, on his way to the VIP seating entrance, he unexpectedly bumped into a tall figure.

"Oh, I'm sorry," apologised Max quickly, before realising exactly who it was he'd walked into.

"Max Evans," smiled the blond man in front of him, the same blond man he'd seen with Liz over the past few days. "It's nice to meet you," he added, holding out a hand for Max to shake.

"Oh, I –" fumbled Max, as he stared dumbly at the outstretched hand, before lifting his gaze to the friendly expression on the man's face. "Hello, um…"

"Martin," the other man supplied. "Martin Smith."

"Martin," said Max coolly, as he shook the man's hand. "I've seen you at the matches this week, haven't I?"

"That's right, I'm a friend of Liz's and since I'm in town for a few days, she offered me tickets to some of the matches," Martin confirmed.

"I see," murmured Max, trying not to give any emotion away in his tone. "So, you and Liz know each other well?"

"Yeah, well, we met a couple of years ago and became good friends, although we don't talk to each other much now, not since she came back home a few weeks ago," the other man supplied.

Max frowned as he took in this new information. This bloke had known Liz for two years? That meant they'd met around the same time as she'd… no, he wasn't going to go there. He couldn't let himself think like that.

"But I had to come back for a family wedding," continued Martin. "And I had a few days free beforehand, so I've taken the chance to see Liz play."

"Right," nodded Max, absently. "So, um, you and Liz are–" He didn't have the chance to finish the sentence, as Martin cut in with a reassuring smile.

"Just good friends, Max," he told him. "Believe me, there never has been, nor will there ever be anything between Liz Parker and I. And even if I wanted to, I couldn't compete with you for a place in her heart."

At those words, Max froze. Was this Martin guy implying that Liz still had feelings for him? With the way she'd been acting towards him lately, he wasn't sure what to believe.

"Anyway," said Martin, before Max could say anything in reply. "I'd better get on; I have a couple of things to do quickly before the match starts. It was nice to meet you, Max."

"Um, sure, likewise," murmured Max, absently shaking the man's hand again and then moving aside to let him pass.

Max simply stood there in the middle of the corridor as it took him a few seconds to process the unexpected exchange and to collect his thoughts. It wasn't until one of the Wimbledon staff tapped him on the shoulder and reminded him that Liz's match was due to start in a few minutes and that he ought to take his seat soon so as not to disturb play. With a rueful smile, Max quickly apologised and headed out to the VIP seating area, taking his seat just as Liz and her opponent arrived on court and began warming up.

A few minutes after he'd sat down, as the warm-up time came to an end and the players prepared to begin the match, Max saw Martin arrive in the VIP box and he gave a small nod of acknowledgement as the other man took a seat at the other end of the row. Although he seemed like a nice guy, Max wasn't sure what to think about him. Was he really just a friend to Liz, or was there something more to their relationship? Granted, he didn't actually have all the details, nor had he talked to Liz about who this man was to her, but he couldn't help but be wary of him all the same.

Max's concerns about Martin were quickly pushed aside a moment later when the match started and his attention turned to watching Liz out on court. She had chosen to take the opening serve and the first couple of games went well for her. However, as he watched her preparing to serve for the third game, he noticed that something wasn't quite right with her today. It was only very slight, but as she held the ball to her racket before tossing it in the air, he could see her hands shaking and a slightly pained expression marred her otherwise beautiful features as she swung her racket up to hit the ball.

He grew even more concerned when, not only did she hit the ball out, but she hit it out by a long way, and Max knew that Liz was capable of producing a good serve even on a bad day. He gave a sigh of relief a moment later, when she seemed to take her second serve with ease and it landed neatly in the service box. The game continued on and when Liz didn't make any further mistakes, Max allowed himself to relax a little and enjoy the match.

It wasn't until the ninth game of the first set, when Liz served two double faults in a row – something completely uncharacteristic for her to do – and allowed her opponent to break her serve easily, that Max began to worry that there was something wrong with her. His suspicions were just about confirmed a couple of minutes later, when the players took a break between games and Liz simply sat on her allotted chair, her head in her hands as she took deep, almost ragged breaths. Max frowned in concern as she stumbled when she got up to walk out onto the court again and, turning his head towards Martin, he noticed that the other man was looking worried as well.

When Liz appeared to regain control and the next game began, Max allowed himself to relax a little, but when the other player served to love, winning the first set 6-4, leaving Liz simply standing helplessly as the other end of the court, uneasiness rose up inside him once again. This time, he knew that something was definitely not right, but before he could think of a way to help her, a collective gasp rose up from the crowd and he could do nothing but look on in horror as the racket slid from Liz's hand, her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell to the ground.

"Oh my God, Liz!" he cried, as he took in the sight of her fragile, unconscious body, lying in a heap in the middle of the court.

Ignoring the fact that he wasn't supposed to leave his seat, Max quickly acted on instinct, jumping over the side of the VIP box and running out onto court. He came to a stop before Liz's prone form, sliding to his knees as he reached out a hand to touch her face.

"Liz? Lizzie? What wrong?" he questioned worriedly, as he ran his hands over her body, checking for any sign of injury. "Lizzie, wake up. Please?"

When there was no response, he lifted his head towards the small group of people who were beginning to gather around Liz, with a pleading expression, "Somebody call an ambulance. Now."

"Mr. Evans," started the umpire, as one of the linesmen ran off the court to fetch the medical team. "Maybe it would be best if you stepped back and allowed the medical team to see to her."

"No!" he stated firmly, as he clutched one of Liz's limp hands in his. "I'm not leaving her."

"Very well," said the umpire, after watching him carefully for a long moment.

"Thank you," murmured Max softly, turning his attention back to Liz as they waited for the paramedics to arrive. He stroked her hair gently, as he looked down at her pale face. "What's the matter with you, Liz? What's wrong?" he wondered, as tears began to sting his eyes. "God, Lizzie, please wake up. I don't want to lose you. I love you too much to lose you again. Please come back to me."

"Excuse me, sir," an authoritative voice interrupted his babbling words and Max looked up to find that the paramedics had arrived. "I'm going to have to ask you to move back so we can help Miss Parker."

"Okay," Max murmured faintly, as he carefully extracted his hand from Liz's and stood up, allowing the ambulance team to do their job.

The next few minutes passed in a blur as Max numbly watched the paramedics move Liz's prone form onto a stretcher and carry her off the court. He followed them out to the ambulance, where Jeff Parker was standing anxiously, his expression stricken as he saw his daughter unconscious on the stretcher. Jeff immediately moved to Liz's side as she was placed on a trolley and wheeled into the ambulance. Before he got into the vehicle with her, Jeff turned to Max, who was still staring at Liz, thanked him for looking after her for him and informed him of the hospital she was being taken to.

Max nodded numbly, unable to move as he watched the ambulance drive away. His head was spinning with what had just occurred out on that court and it took several minutes to compose himself enough to leave the All England club grounds and make his way to the hospital.

* * *

Max didn't arrive at Parkside Hospital until almost two hours after Liz had been taken there, although it was not by choice. First, it had taken him almost twenty minutes to get out of the Wimbledon grounds and to reach his car, due to the high number of people milling around and also to the various reporters and Wimbledon staff who kept trying to ask him questions about Liz. Then, once he'd finally managed to slip into his car and leave, he'd ended up getting stuck in a traffic jam for over an hour.

When he finally arrived at the hospital, the receptionist directed him to Liz's room on the second floor with no hesitation at all, as if she had been instructed to do so as soon as he arrived. Max thanked her sincerely, before making his way through the hospital to the ward where Liz was situated. It was with apprehension that he stepped out of the lift on the second floor and made his way along the corridor towards Liz's room. He had no idea what to expect when he saw her; was she awake now, or would she still be unconscious? What if it was really serious and she was in a coma or something? What if–

"Max," a soft voice broke him out of his confused thoughts, as Jeff Parker stepped out of one of the rooms and gently closed the door behind him.

"How is she?" questioned Max immediately, not bothering with pleasantries. "Is she okay?"

"She's awake, Max," Jeff informed him, putting his mind at ease. "But she's weak and tired."

"What happened?" he asked anxiously, before quickly adding, "Can I see her?"

"Of course you can, Max," smiled Jeff gently. "In fact, she's been asking for you."

"Really?" he wondered with surprise, as he glanced towards her door.

"Go on in," nodded Jeff. "I need to go and pick Nancy up from a friend's, so I'll leave you to it."

"Thank you," murmured Max gratefully, as he watched Jeff retreat down the corridor, before gently opening the door to Liz's room and hesitantly slipping inside.

He sucked in a harsh breath as he took in Liz's pale, tiny form propped up in the hospital bed. Her eyes were closed and she looked exhausted.

"Liz?" he murmured softly, as he approached her. A small smile appeared on his face as her eyes fluttered open.

"Max," she whispered tiredly. "You came."

"Hi," said Max, as he took a seat in the chair beside her bed. "I couldn't not come."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Liz, what happened out there?" he asked, as he took one of her hands in his. "You scared me half to death."

"There's something I need to tell you, Max," admitted Liz softly. "I've been putting it off for so long because I was scared, but I can't do it anymore."

"What is it, Liz?" asked Max gently, not wanting to push her, but knowing that this was it. She was finally ready to tell him the truth. "You can tell me anything."

"I–" she started, her voice cracking as her eyes filled with tears. "I have MS, Max."

"What?" Max was surprised; that was the last thing he'd expected to come out of her mouth, although on second thoughts, he wasn't really sure _what_ he'd been expecting her to say.

"A couple of weeks after you proposed, I went to the doctor. I had been feeling tired for a while and I was having blurred vision, so I made an appointment to find out what was wrong,"

"But… why didn't you say anything? You acted like everything was fine."

"I didn't want to worry you," admitted Liz.

"Oh, Lizzie," murmured Max, with a shake of his head.

"The doctor ran some tests and the results confirmed that I had what is known as relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis," she told him carefully.

"And what is that exactly?" asked Max. He knew a little about MS and its symptoms, due to witnessing his next-door neighbour suffering from it when he was a kid, but he didn't know specifics.

"It's the most common type of MS. What happens is, you have an attack, or relapse, where you suffer from symptoms. And then you have periods of remission where the symptoms either go away for a while or they just don't get any worse. But each time a relapse occurs, the symptoms can worsen."

Max nodded, "So what kind of symptoms are we talking about here?"

Liz looked away for a moment before replying, "All kinds of things. Tiredness, muscle weakness, lack of coordination, speech difficulties, blurred vision, blindness, depression… to name a few."

"Liz," whispered Max, his heart aching for her.

"And it usually gets worse as you get older. There's a good chance I could end up in a wheelchair for the rest of my life."

"I'm so sorry, Lizzie," he said, as he gripped her hand in both of his. "I had no idea."

"It's not your fault you didn't know," she admitted then. "It felt like my life was falling apart before my eyes and you were so excited about my career, I just couldn't bring myself to tell you."

"But you tried once though, didn't you?" he stated, rather than asked, as realisation began to dawn. "That argument we had about getting married and retiring to having children. It wasn't about you not liking the game anymore, was it?"

Liz looked across at him, a tear escaping from her eye as she shook her head, "No, it wasn't. I'd been reading up about the disease and it said that some of the things that can bring on relapses were stress, infections, such as colds and flu and… giving birth. I thought maybe if I could have children before the symptoms got too bad, then it would be easier. I didn't want to be raising children if I was too ill to look after them."

"Oh, sweetheart, come here," murmured Max, as he moved to perch on the edge of her bed, wrapping his arms around her comfortingly. "You should have told me the truth. I would have understood and I could have helped you deal with everything. Why did you just leave like that?"

"I don't know," muttered Liz, as the tears fell and she buried her face in his chest. "It was all just getting to me; I was feeling dizzy and weak all the time, I could barely stay awake, and at that point it felt like I wasn't going to get better any time soon, When you told me you wanted to wait, it was like everything came crashing down around me. Suddenly, I just wanted to hide away from the world and deal with it by myself."

Max remained silent as he took this in, had Liz really thought that he wouldn't have understood? Had she honestly believed that he wouldn't have been willing to give her children if he had known her reasons for wanting a family so soon? And what about him? God, how could he have been so blind not to notice that she hadn't been feeling well? Why did he have to get angry with her that day, when all she'd needed was a little love and support from him? He was such an idiot.

"I'm sorry, Max," sobbed Liz in his arms. "I'm so sorry for not telling you."

"I'm sorry, too, Liz. I should have been more understanding back then," he told her, remorsefully.

They sat together quietly for a few moments, as the enormity of the situation sunk in. However, something soon occurred to Max.

"What made you decide to come back now?" he wondered softly.

Liz sighed, "I went into a remission period a few months ago. I was feeling better… well enough to pick up a racket again… and when the symptoms didn't come back, I decided to take a chance. I stupidly fooled myself into thinking I was fine again and that the MS had gone away. I should have known better."

"You're not stupid, Lizzie," Max assured her. "You were being optimistic."

"It made things worse, though, didn't it?" she muttered. "I'm out of the singles now and I have no idea if I'll be strong enough to play with you again on Monday."

"Don't you worry about that now, okay?" said Max firmly. "You just concentrate on getting your strength back for now. We'll worry about the rest later."

"Thank you, Max," said Liz, as she broke into a yawn.

"No problem," he smiled softly. "You're tired, I should let you get some rest."

However, as he began to move off the bed, Liz grabbed at his shirt.

"Stay with me?" she asked timidly. "Please?"

Looking down into her scared, vulnerable expression, Max found himself unable to refuse. He would stay, for as long as he could without getting thrown out by the nurses, anyway. It was only a few minutes later that Liz fell fast asleep and as he held her petite body in his arms, Max couldn't help but give into the overwhelming emotions flowing through his body at that moment. First one tear slid down his cheek, then another and another, until they fell in a steady stream that left him gasping for breath. He cried for Liz, he cried for everything she'd been through over the past two years, for everything _he'd_ been through in her absence and he cried for everything that could have been if only she'd been honest with him in the first place.

It was an immense relief to him to finally know the truth, but he also knew that he had a long road ahead of him when it came to working things out with Liz.

_TBC…_


	20. Chapter 19

**Part Nineteen**

_**Saturday 30**__**th**__** June 2007**_

Liz had been asleep for almost two hours, yet Max couldn't bear to leave her side. Although he'd slipped out of the bed and made sure she was comfortable just a few minutes after she'd dozed off, rather than leaving the room, he'd once more slid onto the chair beside her bed, gently took her hand in his and watched her peaceful slumber.

About thirty minutes after she'd fallen asleep, Jeff had returned to the hospital with Nancy, and they joined Max in Liz's room for a while, before Liz's PR assistant knocked on the door and informed them that the press was having a field day outside and were after a statement. Reluctantly, Jeff and Nancy left their daughter's bedside to take care of the paparazzi, leaving Max alone with her once again. Another thirty minutes later, a nurse had entered the room to check on her and had kindly informed him that they didn't need to keep Liz in overnight and that she would be able to go home later that evening. With a small smile, Max had thanked her, before turning his attention back to Liz.

He shook his head as his gaze swept over her pale features. For the last two hours, confused thoughts had been tumbling around inside his head. He didn't really know what to make of the events of the last few hours. On the one hand, it had been a huge relief to finally discover Liz's big secret, but on the other, he just couldn't believe that she had kept something so important from him for so long. He felt torn. Part of him was hugely sympathetic towards her and what she'd been through over the past two years and he couldn't help some of those old feelings of affection for her from returning to his mind; however, he was also still upset and even angry about her betrayal.

He was finding it hard to understand why Liz had left him without a word, just because of a stupid argument they'd had. Why hadn't she confided in him about her illness? Why couldn't they have worked through things together? She hadn't seriously believed that he wouldn't have understood her reasons for wanting to settle down and start a family… had she? Sure, at the time he had felt that they were too young, but if she'd just been truthful and told him exactly why she wanted to have a family at twenty-one, then maybe he could have supported her in her decision.

However, amid all his thoughts about the past, one glaring question also stood out to him about the last couple of weeks. If Liz hadn't decided to return to the game this year, and if the two of them had not been paired up in the doubles, would he have ever seen her again? Would he have ever discovered the truth, if she hadn't collapsed out on court today? He couldn't help feeling the notion that the only reason she'd told him the truth was because she'd had no other choice in the matter.

The sound of the door opening tore Max from his troubled thoughts and he looked up to see Jeff Parker entering the room with a sympathetic expression on his face.

"Hey, Max. How is she?" he asked softly, as he moved towards the bed,

"Still asleep," replied Max, as he glanced down at her still closed eyes.

"Look, why don't you head on home?" suggested Jeff kindly. "She's pretty exhausted; I doubt she'll wake up for a while."

Max hesitated slightly, weighing up his options, before gently extracting his hand from Liz's and standing up.

"Okay," he agreed quietly. "I guess there's not really any reason for me to be here this evening."

Jeff nodded, "The doctor's told us she can go home soon. She decided earlier that she wanted to come home to the house in Surrey tonight, so that's where we'll be if you want to drop by tomorrow. I'm sure she'd like to see you."

"Okay," nodded Max. He wasn't sure how well a visit to her parents' house might go down with her, but he'd keep the offer in mind. "Well, I'd, um, better go then."

He moved past Liz's father and headed for the door; as his hand twisted the handle, Jeff's voice stopped him and he turned back to face the room.

"Thank you, Max," Jeff told him sincerely, "for being here for her today. I know things haven't been easy for either of you lately, but I hope that you can forgive Liz for her actions in the past. All I can say is that it was never her intention to hurt you the way she did."

Max simply nodded, a lump forming in his throat at the sudden rush of emotions that flooded through him following Jeff's words. He shot one last look towards Liz, before leaving the room. Once outside, he let out a deep sigh and then made his way out of the hospital. As he reached the lobby, he shook his head in annoyance at the sight of the large group of reporters and photographers gathered outside the main entrance of the hospital. Squaring his shoulders and steeling himself for the inevitable onslaught of microphones and cameras, he strode out of the hospital, ignoring the shouts in his direction and tossing out a "No Comment" to anyone who tried to talk to him.

When he reached his car, he didn't hesitate to start the engine and speed off in the direction of his flat, leaving the reporters, the hospital and Liz far behind. He could deal with all of them tomorrow, after he'd had some time to think.

* * *

_**Wednesday 20**__**th**__** July 2005 - Surrey, England**_

His jaw set in anger, Max manoeuvred his sleek, silver BMW, around the winding bends of the Surrey countryside, as he sped towards the Parker's country estate a few miles outside the large county town of Guildford. After several unsuccessful attempts to find out Liz's whereabouts from Jeff or Nancy over the phone, Max had taken it upon himself to approach them in person and, if necessary, get down on his hands and knees and beg them for information.

_The last few days without Liz had been the worst of his life; it was difficult enough trying to deal with the fact that she had apparently left him, but it was even harder for him to comprehend exactly why she had left. It just didn't make any sense to him. Until last Friday, she had never given any indication that she was unsatisfied with him or with their relationship… in fact, just last month she'd told him she'd never been happier in her entire life… so what had changed so drastically in the last couple of weeks? He needed answers._

_As he drove up the road leading into the Parker residence, Max had to force himself to keep his gaze on the road in front of him, instead of taking in the beautiful scenery around him. He and Liz had spent many evenings taking romantic walks through the gardens and surrounding woodland over the past few years and for the sake of his sanity he couldn't afford to reminisce about the good times right now. With a sudden lurch on the gravelled driveway, Max pulled up in front of the large, stone house, before turning off the engine, stepping out of the car and slamming the door shut._

Max strode determinedly up to the front door and firmly pressed the doorbell button, before taking a step back while he waited for an answer. After a minute or so, the door swung open and he came face-to-face with Jeff Parker.

"_Max," greeted Liz's father, a hint of unease in his tone._

"_Where is she?" Max cut right to the chase. "I need to see her."_

_Jeff just watched him for a moment, before shaking his head slightly and opening the door even wider, "Why don't you come on in."_

_Max stood his ground, "Why don't you just tell me out here?"_

_Jeff levelled him with a look, before turning and moving further into the house, leaving the door open behind him for Max to follow. As tempted as he was not to give Jeff the upper hand in this, Max knew that he wouldn't get any answers if he stayed out in the driveway, so reluctantly, he stepped through the doorway and headed inside the large house. He entered the front living room behind Jeff, who gestured for him to take a seat._

_He was reluctant to sit, his body too tense and on edge to relax, but he forced himself to do so anyway._

"_Why won't she answer my calls, Jeff? Is she here?" he questioned immediately; looking around the room for any sign that Liz might be staying at her parents' house. "I don't understand what's going on."_

_Jeff shook his head sadly, "She's not here, Max, I'm sorry."_

"_Well, where is she?"_

"_I'm sorry," repeated Liz's father. "She specifically stated that you weren't to contact her. I can't tell you what you want to know."_

"_But…why?" burst out Max, as a lump began form in his throat and he had to swallow in order to hold back tears. "What did I do to make her leave?"_

_Jeff shook his head again, "I'm sorry; as much as I'd like to, I can't help you, Max. She needs some time for herself right now."_

"_What about me?" demanded Max painfully. "Don't I deserve to know why the woman who agreed to marry me just a couple of weeks ago just decided to up and leave with no explanation?"_

"_I wish I could help you, Max," murmured Jeff again. "But I'm afraid that my daughter comes first with me. I can only respect her wishes, whether I agree with her actions or not."_

_Max nodded in resignation; of course __Jeff's loyalties lay with Liz. She was __his flesh and blood and Max couldn't compete with that._

"_Can't you at least tell me what I can do to make things right?" he asked softly, as the tears finally began to sting his eyes. "This is killing me, being without her. She's my whole world, Jeff, and I don't know if I can survive if she's not with me."_

"_Max–" started Jeff, but Max held up a hand to stop him._

"_I know," he murmured, "You can't help me. But when you speak to her, can you at least tell her that I love her and I miss her? Please?"_

"_Okay," agreed Jeff. "But I can't guarantee it will help anything."_

"_Thank you," said Max tightly, before sighing and turning towards the door. "Well, I guess there's no reason for me to be here, then. I'll get out of your hair."_

"_Max," Jeff moved towards him. "I really am sorry," he repeated. "Let me see you out."_

"_No need," he quickly shrugged off the offer. "I'm perfectly capable of seeing myself out, thank you."_

"_But–"_

_Max cut Jeff off once more, "When she's ready to talk, tell her it's up to her to contact me. I don't think I can handle being messed around any more than I have already."_

_At Jeff's slow nod, Max turned abruptly and left the plush living room. He marched to the front door and let himself out of the stately home. Getting into his car, he forcefully started the engine and pressed hard on the accelerator, causing the small vehicle to lurch forward and speed off, sending the gravel from the driveway flying into the air. However, he only made it a few hundred yards down the road, before he pulled into a small, familiar lay-by at the side of the narrow country road and switched off the engine._

_Despite his earlier reluctance to acknowledge the surrounding scenery, Max found himself traversing a path into the woods that he and Liz had taken several times in the past. A few moments later, he found himself entering a small, idyllic clearing in the trees. Sucking in an unsteady breath, Max moved further into the clearing and sank down beside the fallen tree trunk that had been lying there for years, his back resting against the bark, as the tears finally began to fall. He pulled his knees to his chest and lowered his head as his shoulders shook with the force of his sobs._

_Memories flooded through him as he cried; he remembered lying with Liz on the grass beside the tree trunk, gazing at the sky and talking about their hopes and dreams for the future; he remembered making love with her beneath the trees on a warm summer's evening; he remembered spending occasional lazy Sunday afternoon playing with her hair, watching her contentedly as she read a book and forgot all about their busy schedules for a few hours._

_They had been so happy together for the last three years; Liz had been ecstatic when he'd proposed last month, so he couldn't understand why she'd just left last week. It didn't make any sense and the more he thought about it, the more confused he became about the whole situation. _

_He needed answers and for the first time since she'd left, he was beginning to wonder if he would ever get them._

_TBC…_


	21. Chapter 20

**Part Twenty**

_**Sunday 1**__**st**__** July 2007**_

"Are you sure you're comfortable, honey? Do you need another pillow? I'll get you another pillow. What about– "

"Mum, stop it, okay!" Liz interrupted, with a roll of her eyes. "I'm fine. I don't need anything else."

"Are you positive, dear?" questioned Nancy once more. "I don't want you to have to over-exert yourself while I'm out this afternoon."

"Totally positive," Liz insisted. "And besides, Dad is going to be here anyway."

"I know that, dear, but as your mother, it is my duty to ensure that you are well cared for."

"Okay, Mum," Liz chose to humour her rather than point out that they were living in the 21st Century and she was a grown woman capable of looking after herself without her mummy holding her hand all the time.

Finally satisfied, Nancy ceased her hovering and instead began flitting around the house, getting ready for her weekly Sunday afternoon lunch with her rich friends. Liz sighed with relief as soon as she was left alone in the large family living room at the back of the house.

She had been released from the hospital last night and to be honest, apart from being tired and a little weak, she basically felt fine today. However, that little fact hadn't stopped Nancy from fussing all over her ever since they'd arrived home last night. Normally Liz wouldn't have minded the attention all that much, but with everything that had happened yesterday, her mind was on other things; like the fact that Max now knew her secret and the fact that her dad had suggested he might like to visit her at home today.

The thing was, Liz wasn't sure if she really wanted Max to visit her parents' home, despite the fact that when first David and then Martin had come to visit her in hospital after she'd woke up yesterday, they had both brought up the fact that she was still technically entered in the mixed doubles and was due to play with Max on Monday, so she knew that she ought to talk to him before tomorrow.

As Liz adjusted her position on the sofa, pulled the blanket on her lap tighter around her and used the remote to turn on the TV, she couldn't stop her thoughts from returning to her conversation with Max at the hospital yesterday. On the one hand, she had been so scared about finally admitting what was wrong with her, for fear of his reaction, but on the other she actually felt relieved that it was out in the open and she could finally be honest with him.

She had been worried that he would be angry with her for what she'd done, but in fact, he'd been calm and sympathetic during her admission, although she couldn't help but wonder if that would still be the case now that he'd had a few hours to process everything. Unfortunately she didn't have time to dwell any further as the doorbell rang out through the large house and her father's upbeat "I'll get it," echoed down the hallway. She only had to wait a few moments for the inevitable.

"Liz, honey," began Jeff, as he entered the family living room, "Max is here to see you."

"Okay," Liz forced a smile onto her face and tried to sound more energetic than she was currently feeling.

"Go on in," she heard her father say to Max, who had not yet come into the room.

"Thanks, Jeff," she heard his warm-toned reply and she had to admit that the familiar voice caused her heart to speed up just slightly.

Liz watched as he stepped through the doorway into the lounge, a small, almost shy smile gracing his handsome features.

"Hey," he murmured, moving further into the room almost hesitantly. "H-how are you?"

"I'm okay," nodded Liz slightly. "Tired, but okay."

"That's good," said Max in reply as he took a seat in the plush armchair just across from the sofa lying she was lying on. "So, it wasn't serious, or anything?"

"No," said Liz quickly. "Well, you know, it was serious because I collapsed, but it's not like I pass out on a regular basis or anything. I just overworked myself, I guess. By playing, I was putting more pressure on my body than it could handle and I wasn't being careful."

"But you're okay, now right?"

"Yeah, for now," admitted Liz, lowering her head slightly at the fact that she knew that wouldn't always be the case. "Well, I guess you're probably wondering whether you still have a mixed doubles partner in this tournament, huh?"

"Well, I– " Max shook his head quickly. "Look, if you're not up to playing this week then we won't play – that's fine by me. But if you do want to try, I'm willing to give you any help you need."

"Thank you," smiled Liz gratefully. "Honestly, I just don't know yet. I mean, I want to play, I really do, and I'm feeling much better than I was yesterday, but I also don't think I should overdo things either."

"That's fair enough," agreed Max. "Why don't you see how you're feeling tomorrow morning and we'll go from there?"

"Okay," she nodded and the two of them shared a tentative smile, before averting their eyes and slipping into a slightly awkward silence.

Liz shifted uncomfortably on the couch, pulling the fluffy blanket on her lap more tightly around her, whilst Max remained seated stiffly in the armchair, as he gazed down at his hands in his lap. In an attempt to break the silence, Liz opened her mouth to speak, but Max chose that moment to lift his head, his expression anguished.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" he murmured. "If you hadn't come home and we hadn't been pushed to play together three weeks ago, would you have ever told me the truth?"

Liz watched him silently for a moment as she considered his question. Would she have told him if they hadn't been reunited three weeks ago? She wanted to say yes, she would have, but she honestly didn't know if that was the truth. As far as she'd been concerned in the months after she'd fled, that part of her life was over and she hadn't been planning on returning to the game or to Max. She'd known it was the wrong thing to do, but at the time she'd believed that the only way she could cope with everything was to be on her own.

"I don't know, Max," she said finally. "I'd like to be able to tell you that I would have, but the truth is that I really don't know."

Max nodded stiffly and Liz saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard, She closed her eyes in guilt as he murmured a dull, "I see."

"Max, I'm sorry. You deserved to know what I was going through and I understand now how wrong it was for me to shut you out," she told him sincerely. "I can't change the past, but now you know what happened and surely that's more important than what might or might not have been had I not come back."

"I'm sorry… this is hard for me, Liz," he replied softly. "The last two years have pretty much been the worst of my life and while a part of me is relieved to know the truth and is concerned about you, another part still feels hurt and betrayed by you."

"Max–" Liz started to apologise once again, but he cut her off.

"I've missed you so much, Liz, and no matter how much I've tried to deny it, I do still love you." Liz let out a small gasp of surprise at his confession. "But I'm gonna need some time to get my head around everything."

"I still love you too, Max," she told him softly. "I was an idiot for acting rashly and leaving instead of talking to you. I guess I wasn't really thinking straight that day and made a stupid, wrong decision. Can you ever forgive me?"

Max sighed, "You know what? Even though I'm having trouble getting over what happened, I think I forgave you the moment you told me the truth."

"Really?" whispered Liz, sudden tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

Max shifted out of the armchair and slid onto the couch next to Liz.

"Really. What happened to you wasn't your fault and it wasn't mine. You did what you thought was best for you," he murmured, as she moved to accommodate him and he slipped his arm around her. "It's not going to be easy for me at first, but I want to be friends, okay?"

Liz smiled against the blue cotton T-shirt he was wearing, "Okay."

* * *

_**Friday 15**__**th**__** July 2005**_

_Liz could do nothing but watch numbly, tears flowing down her cheeks, as Max marched out of their flat and slammed the door behind him in anger. It was several moments before she could find the energy to move her limbs and sink down onto the sofa._

_Her breathing became laboured as the implications of Max's sudden departure began to sink in. She had finally plucked up the courage to voice what had been on her mind for the last few days and he had been so quick to dismiss her wishes to retire from tennis that she felt almost betrayed by his unwillingness to listen to her. Just a few minutes ago she'd been on the verge of telling him about her visit to the doctor and his diagnosis, but his reaction to the idea of starting a family in the near future had quickly quashed her desire to bare all to him, for fear that he wouldn't be supportive of her condition._

_Although some part of her knew that Max wasn't the kind of person to be insensitive and uncaring towards someone with an illness like MS, right this moment she felt so scared and confused that all she could picture was his hurt and angry expression just before he turned and left the room. Along with the terrible exhaustion and shakiness she was feeling today, Liz was overwhelmed by it all. It was the worst thing in the world: to feel so ill and tired and vulnerable and not have someone who was willing to listen to and understand your fears. _

_With a great deal of effort and a shaking hand, Liz reached down to the floor, where her mobile phone lay on top of a pile of fashion magazines. Stifling her sobs with one hand, she used the other to dial her parents' number._

"_Hello?" _

"_Dad… it's me," managed Liz, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears._

"_Lizzie? Honey, what's wrong?"_

"_I… I need your help," she confessed, her voice only just above a whisper. "I need to leave London."_

"_What's happened, Lizzie-bear?" questioned Jeff, his tone concerned. "What do you mean, you need to leave?"_

"_I… I tried to tell Max that I wanted to retire and start a family and he just went off on one," she choked out._

_There was a short pause on the other end. "That doesn't sound like Max at all. Surely he understands at least some of what you're going through right now?"_

"_Well, I-I didn't actually get round to telling him about the diagnosis," she admitted, as she wiped her eyes with the back of her free hand. "He got angry and stormed out before I could pluck up the nerve to say it."_

"_And because he left, you suddenly want to leave London? Lizzie, I don't think–"_

"_You didn't see his face, Dad," whispered Liz. "He thought I was crazy to even think of giving up the game. He told me that he wouldn't stand by while I ruined my career and that maybe I should find someone else who would."_

"_Darling, I'm not sure that he–"_

"_No, he meant it, Dad," she interrupted._

"_But–"_

"_I'm so scared, Daddy," a fresh sob erupted from her throat. "This is just too much right now. I feel awful all the time. I can't play tennis like this; I can't even find the energy to make the bed half the time. I wanted to have a family now and enjoy what I have left of my life with Max before the relapses got worse, but if he's not willing to cooperate, then I'd much rather do it on my own. Please, I need your help; I need to be somewhere far away from all the pressure and expectations in my life right now."_

"_You're my daughter, Lizzie – of course I'll help you; but before I do, I have to tell you that running away is not the answer here… believe me, I know."_

"_Dad, this isn't quite the same as you disappearing on Mum for three days because you thought she was too upper-class and posh for you, okay?" Liz sniffed._

_Jeff continued, not even acknowledging her sarcastic comment, "Look, I have a friend with contacts in one of the more remote beach resorts in Thailand. I'm sure he can find somewhere for you to get away for a while."_

"_Thank you so much," breathed Liz in relief. "I need it to be soon, though. I want to leave as soon as possible; I'm packing a bag and I'm gonna come home tonight. I can't stay here any longer."_

_Her father's following protests that she shouldn't be so rash, but instead wait until she'd calmed down and talked to Max, fell on deaf ears, as Liz thanked him once more and then hung up the phone. Fresh tears leaked from her eyes as she moved around the flat, gathering essential belonging and packing a large suitcase._

_Just a few weeks ago, she'd been so happy and in love, but just one trip to the doctors had changed all that and now she was facing a life of pain and sickness… without a family and without Max. It wasn't ideal, but it was the only thing she was strong enough to do right now._

_TBC…_


	22. Chapter 21

**Part Twenty-One**

_**Monday 2**__**nd**__** July 2007**_

With a quick glance at his watch, Max stepped out of the hotel lift and onto the floor that Liz was staying on for the duration of the tournament. Jeff had called him last night to inform him that Liz had decided to return to her hotel room for the night so that if she felt strong enough to play in their match today, she wouldn't be too far away. Max had responded by suggesting that he could visit Liz at her hotel in the morning to discuss their plans for the day, in terms of whether they would continue playing, or pull out of the mixed doubles altogether.

So, here he was, standing outside Liz's hotel room at nine am. He lifted a hand to knock on the door, before taking a small step back. He didn't have to wait long for a reply, as the door swung open just seconds later to reveal a tennis outfit-clad, smiling and much fresher-looking Liz than he'd seen over the last few days.

"Hi, Max," she greeted softly.

"Hey," he replied in a similar tone. "How are feeling?"

"I'm okay," she shrugged. "Still a bit tired, but okay."

"You think you're up to playing today?"

"I'd like to try," she replied. "Both my doctor and David gave me the okay last night, so it's really just up to me if I want to play today."

"Okay," agreed Max. "Well, how about we go down to the courts now for some practice and see how it goes?"

"Sure, okay."

"Great," smiled Max. "Are you ready to go now?"

"Yeah, just let me grab a couple of things and then we can go."

Liz gestured for him to come inside and Max stepped through the doorway as Liz proceeded to gather up her tennis gear and grab a jacket, presumably because the weather wasn't looking so great this morning – today was the only day so far that the temperature was forecast to be below 20 degrees Celsius and the day had dawned overcast and slightly windy.

Max waited patiently for Liz to finish getting ready, his hands shoved in the pockets of his tennis shorts. As he watched her flit around the hotel room, he found his thoughts wandering between thinking that she looked rather attractive this morning dressed in her short, white tennis skirt and remembering how her actions two years ago had almost broken him. If he was honest, he wasn't really sure what he thought of Liz at this particular point in time. Of course, he sympathised with her situation and couldn't help feeling relieved that she had now recovered from her collapse two days

ago, but at the same time, he acknowledged that he still wasn't quite able to forgive her for leaving like she did back in 2005, at least not yet anyway.

Giving a small smile as Liz finally approached the door with her things, Max took her training bag from her and they headed out of the room and down towards the foyer. Neither of them spoke as they travelled down to the ground floor in fairly comfortable silence, then stepped out of the lift into the foyer and approached the main doors of the hotel. However, the calm atmosphere was shattered the second Max and Liz stepped out into the cool air.

Suddenly out of nowhere, came the glaring, obnoxious flashing of cameras and shouts of the paparazzi from all corners, practically stopping Max and Liz in their tracks. Max muttered a curse under his breath as he realised that he should have seen this coming after what had happened to Liz on Saturday and he silently berated himself for not considering what he would do when the paps finally caught up with them.

Steeling himself, he shifted Liz's racket bag more squarely onto his shoulder before taking her hand firmly in his.

"Come on, let's get out of here," he murmured to her as he attempted to lead them both through the noisy crowd, but that didn't stop the reporters from shouting their probing questions at the couple.

"Liz, what's wrong with you? Why did you collapse on court two days ago?" called out a rather snobby-looking young blonde reporter.

"Does it have anything to do with your lack of training over the last two years?" cut in a black-haired man in his early thirties, as he shoved a microphone in Liz's face.

"Max, is this why you and Liz broke up?" questioned another woman rudely. "Was her collapse brought on because you two are playing together again?"

Max's blood began to boil as the questions turned towards his and Liz's previous relationship and he quickly bit out an angry, "No comment," before sliding his hand out of Liz's and wrapping his arm around her waist in a protective embrace. He manoeuvred her quickly through the crowd and towards his car, which was parked safely around the corner, out of view. At first, Max was sure that the press would try to follow them, but a sudden murmuring from outside the hotel confirmed that they had set their sights on some other defenceless player emerging from the lobby.

"Are you okay?" he asked in concern, when they reached his car and he turned to face Liz, his hand still resting on her waist. She looked a little frazzled and overwhelmed.

"I think so," she replied almost breathlessly, before shaking her head. "How could I have forgotten this would happen?"

"Hey, you've had a lot to deal with in the last couple of days, it's not surprising that the press wasn't something you were thinking about," reasoned Max gently, as he finally let go of her and opened the passenger door so she could get into his car.

"I guess," murmured Liz as she got comfortable in her seat and Max placed her things in the boot, before climbing into the driver's seat beside her. As he slid the key into the ignition, he noticed her now silent demeanour and blank expression.

"Hey," he murmured softly, sliding his hand over hers. "Don't worry about it, okay? Just concentrate on the tennis and you'll be fine."

"I'll try."

Liz smiled, but Max could tell that it was forced. He watched her for a moment more, her gaze firmly fixed straight ahead, before turning his attention to the road, starting the engine and manoeuvring the small car out of its parking space.

It didn't take long to reach the Wimbledon grounds and as he parked in the players' reserved car park, Max was relieved not to see any paparazzi photographers or journalists milling around waiting for them. He helped Liz out of the car, grabbed their training gear from the boot and they headed inside the club, towards the practice courts.

Surprisingly, Liz's coach, David was already standing outside the courts, waiting for them. Max had to wonder how exactly he'd known when they'd be arriving, but from the lack of surprise on Liz's face, he surmised that she'd called him earlier, before they'd left the hotel, to let him know they were on their way.

"Liz," greeted David with a smile as they approached him, "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Much better, thanks," she replied. "I've decided to play this afternoon."

David frowned, "Are you sure? I know I gave you the okay last night, but don't want you to overexert yourself again."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Liz assured him.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't work herself too hard," added Max, as he greeted David with a handshake.

"Fair enough," he shrugged, before turning serious. "Look, Liz, I know you don't want to get into it, but everyone's been requesting that you give a press conference regarding the match on Saturday. They want to do it this morning, to clear the air before you go out on court."

Beside Max, Liz sighed, and he could tell that holding a press conference was the last thing she wanted to do right now. "I don't know if I–" she started, but Max cut in.

"Look, how about we hold the press conference together? I'll come with you and we can get through it together," he suggested, knowing full well that if they didn't talk to the press themselves, the tabloids would start printing crazy stories about what had happened.

"Okay," agreed Liz eventually. "But we're gonna have to think about what to say and what not to."

"Of course," nodded Max.

"Okay," added David. "Why don't you two get some court practice in and also think about what you'll say and I'll see what time I can arrange this conference for."

"Okay," nodded Liz, "thanks, David."

As David left to make arrangements, Liz and Max headed out to the practice courts to warm up. Liz was a little shaky on her feet at first, but she soon got back into the swing of things and before long was playing well. The two of them went over their shots and match tactics for almost an hour, before David returned to let them know that the press conference was scheduled for 11:30am – just under an hour away. During the next few minutes, Max and Liz discussed what they were going to say to the press, went over their match play and then gathered up their things and headed inside to prepare for the conference.

As Max stood beside Liz outside the familiar conference room thirty minutes later, he couldn't help remember another conference he had held alone in that very room just under two years ago – it was his first after Liz had disappeared from his life and it was also one of the hardest he'd ever had to endure…

* * *

_**Saturday 27**__**th**__** August 2005 – US Open, New York **_

_Max sucked in a shaky breath, as he prepared to enter the press conference room located on the first floor of his hotel. It was two days before the US Open tournament was due to begin and it was Max's first major interview and press conference since that terrible day six weeks ago when his life had fallen apart. As much as he knew that facing the press and confirming the truth that Liz had left him was inevitable, he was really wishing he didn't have to deal with it at all. It was one thing having to cope with the fact that she was gone all by himself, but once the truth was out to the world, he wouldn't have any peace from them._

"_You ready, mate?" asked his coach, Todd, slapping him on his shoulder._

"_As I'll ever be," he shrugged._

"_Okay, here goes," smiled Todd, pulling open the door to the conference room and signalling for Max to enter. "Good luck."_

_Max shot him a withering look as he turned to face the music. Murmurs rose up around the room as he strode into the room, Todd following closely behind, and made his way to the conference table._

"_Good morning, everyone," he acknowledged the reporters with a curt nod as he took his seat and waited for the questions to begin… sure enough, they did._

"_Max, despite your Grand Slam success in the mixed doubles, you have yet to win a singles title. Do you think that this tournament could turn things around for you?"_

"_Well," began Max, forcing a smile onto his face in an attempt to appear happy and upbeat, "I've been training hard this year and now all I can do is wait and see how things go in the next couple of weeks."_

_The truth was that Max really wasn't on top form right now. Despite trying to take his mind off his personal life by throwing himself into playing tennis, he just hadn't been able to concentrate on his training since Liz's disappearance. In fact, he hadn't been able to concentrate on much at all lately._

"_Max, speaking of the mixed doubles, you seem to be here alone. Can I ask why you're competing in the US Open this year and Liz isn't? What does this mean for the mixed doubles draw?" _

"_Well, I–" Max started, but was cut off by another reporter._

"_Max, we're all dying to know, what's going on with you and Liz Parker? Why have we not seen her around since last month?"_

"_Mr Evans, It appears that Liz's coach has withdrawn her name from all of the upcoming tournaments. Can you comment on this decision?"_

"_Okay," breathed Max, as if to calm the atmosphere in the room. "Look. Liz is… Liz is taking some time away from tennis and the press for a while. I'd appreciate it if you would respect her privacy right now."_

"_I don't understand," piped up a short man from the side of the room, "if she's taking some time out, why aren't you with her? The two of you haven't been seen together since just after the announcement of your engagement and while you've been about and about, no one has even caught a glimpse of her in weeks. Do you even know where she is? Is this the end of your relationship?"_

_Max opened his mouth to reply, but quickly shut it again. He didn't know how to answer the question. The truth was, he had no idea where Liz was, or even why she'd left. What was he supposed to say?_

"_Max?" pressed the short guy, who'd posed the question._

"_I–" Max glanced towards Todd, who simply shrugged and gave him a maybe-you-should-come-clean look. "Okay, I'll admit it. I don't know what's going on. I haven't seen or heard from Liz since mid-July." There was a collective gasp around the room. "I'm afraid I can't tell you where she is."_

"_So, does this now mean that your engagement is off?" asked a stern-looking blonde woman in the front row. "Are you and Ms. Parker no longer a couple?"_

"_Well, you'd have to ask her that," muttered Max under his breath, before addressing the sea of people in front of him aloud, "Look, I appreciate that it is your job to ask these questions, but I'm asking that you please respect both her privacy and my own in this matter. I'm afraid I am not willing to answer your questions at this time."_

"_What of Jeff Parker and his wife, then? They have not been seen lately either… is he with Liz right now? Is there some kind of family crisis occurring behind closed doors?"_

_Despite Max's best intentions to remain calm and collected in front of both the press and the cameras, he found himself fuming at this journalist's apparent lack of tact and respect towards his wishes. Before he could get himself in check, he was on his feet._

"_Okay, that's it!" he burst out, not caring about the fact that his actions were going to be broadcast on national and international television in a few short hours. "This interview is over. If you can't respect my right to privacy and keep your prying, manipulative noses out of my private life, then I want nothing to do with any of you!" he fumed. "Good day!"_

_As he left the table and marched towards the exit, he could see Todd shaking his head in disappointment at his actions, but Max just couldn't bring himself to care right now. He was so angry and upset with the reporters, with Liz and with himself that nothing else mattered, not his career, not his reputation and not his public image. It felt like his life was falling apart before his eyes and all he wanted to do was curl up in a ball and forget about everything. Ignoring the calls of the conference organisers and the reporters he'd just walked out on, Max stormed out of the room, heading straight for the lift to take him up to his room. _

_Once inside the hotel room, Max shut and locked the door behind him, as he took deep, calming breaths in an attempt to diffuse his anger. He knew it would only be a matter of time before Todd came banging on the door, demanding to know what he was thinking downstairs, but he didn't feel like dealing with his coach right now. Instead, he made his way over to the large double bed in the centre of the room and flopped down onto it, his hands coming up to cover his face as the familiar lump began to form in his throat._

_He lay there, trying to keep his emotions in check until the inevitable knock sounded at the door. Although he tried to ignore it at first, Max knew his coach wouldn't leave until he'd spoken to him, so eventually he managed to gather enough energy to get up and open the door._

"_What the hell was that?" Todd burst out as soon as he entered the room. "Max, are you trying to ruin your career? You know as well as anyone that you can't just lose your cool like that in front of the press!"_

"_I know," sighed Max, tiredly. "I'm sorry."_

_His coach's expression softened slightly, "I know you're hurting, Max; I know this is hard for you, but you need to learn how to control your emotions better in public."_

"_I'm doing the best I can, okay?" he defended, as he sat down on the edge of the bed._

"_I know you are, mate," said Todd sympathetically. "Look, I know there's not much we can do right now, but maybe once the US Open is over and we're back on home soil, you should consider going to talk to someone about this?"_

"_You mean a professional?" questioned Max. "Like a therapist?"_

"_Something like that," shrugged Todd. "I mean, I'm not saying you're unstable or anything, but I just think you could benefit from an outside opinion and some advice from someone who knows what they're talking about."_

_Max nodded in understanding, "I'll think about it."_

"_Okay, good," smiled Todd. "I think it could really help you. But for now, we need to get you in a state to play good tennis for the next two weeks, so I'm gonna give you the rest of today off. We can meet tomorrow morning for some last-minute training, okay?"_

"_Okay," nodded Max. "Thanks."_

_Todd just nodded in return, told Max to get some rest and then left him alone to collect his thoughts._

_For a while, he simply remained sitting on the end of the bed, staring blankly into space as an all-too-familiar feeling of numbness passed through him. However, the numbness soon developed into sadness and within a few minutes, his heart was aching once more. Not for the first time in recent weeks, a wave of loneliness and misery washed over him only this time, it was amplified due to the fact that New York was so far away from home._

_With barely a second thought, adjusted his position on the bed and reached for the phone on his nightstand, dialling a number he'd known for most of his life._

"_Hi? Mum? It's Max," he murmured down the line. "I hope you don't mind, but I really need someone to talk to…"_

_TBC… _


	23. Chapter 22

**Part Twenty-Two**

_**Monday 2**__**nd**__** July 2007**_

Liz sighed as she slid into her allotted seat in front of the microphones and took in the large crowd of hungry reporters waiting eagerly to start the press conference. Even with her coach on one side of her and Max on the other, she still felt nervous about really facing the world today for the first time in two years. Although they had discussed what they would say and how they would handle the inevitable questions, she still wasn't sure that this conference was a good idea. However, as the questions began, Liz knew she couldn't back out of it now.

"Liz," started the first reporter, a tall dark-haired man standing near the back of the room, "can you tell us why you collapsed on Saturday? Is something wrong with you?"

Liz released a deep breath before replying, "I'm afraid I just ran out of energy. I had barely eaten that morning and I didn't get much sleep the night before. I guess I should have been better prepared for the match, but I wasn't and now I have to deal with that."

It was almost the truth. She hadn't been taking great care of herself towards the end of last week and so tiredness and lack of energy had been part of the reason for her collapse.

A middle-aged lady at the end of the front row was next. She stood, consulting her notebook briefly before addressing David, to Liz's right.

"Mr. Johnson, Liz mentions that you have given her the go-ahead to continue competing in this tournament, do you feel you have made the right decision in allowing her to play so soon after her incident?"

David cleared his throat, "Yes, I do. What happened at the weekend was simply a one-off occurrence. Liz spent yesterday resting and regaining her strength and I do not see any reason why she should not play in the mixed today."

"Liz, can you comment on reports that you've overworked yourself to qualify for Wimbledon, and that you've burned out, as evidenced by your collapse?" asked a fair-haired lady seated near the centre of the room.

Liz was tempted to look to David and Max for help, but knew that doing so would imply weakness or uncertainty on her part, so she kept her gaze on the reporter as she answered.

"No, that's simply not true–"

"But what about the fact that you haven't played professional tennis in two years?" a tall, red-haired, American woman interrupted her. "Surely, the lack of regular training and competition must have affected your stamina in the game?"

This time, Liz did glance towards David helplessly, but he simply nodded encouragingly, urging her to keep going.

"Yes, it's true that I was not in training during my absence, but in no way did I overwork myself to qualify for this tournament, nor have I burned out. My body and training regime may be different than it was two years ago and I am not taking risks with my training."

"So would you say that you're not at the same standard of fitness as you were two years ago before your sabbatical?"

"I said different, not worse," replied Liz shortly, as she tried hard to keep her cool.

"David, do you not blame yourself for Liz's collapse? There have been suggestions that perhaps her training regime was pushing her too hard and caused her to burn out."

David shook his head, "Liz knows exactly what she is capable of and is well aware of how much her body can take in training. I can assure you that she has not been pushed into overworking herself for this tournament."

The woman red-haired American journalist now piped up with a question for the person on Liz's left.

"Max, is Liz's_ difference_ in fitness affecting your ability to play with her in any way?" she questioned, the sarcastic tone evident in her voice. "Especially since she has now suffered this recent setback. Are the two of you going to be up to standard for playing in the mixed doubles this afternoon or is there a chance that you will be withdrawing from the competition altogether?"

Max glanced at Liz quickly before replying, "No, not at all. I am fully confident that Liz is capable of playing with me the match this afternoon and that both of us will be playing to the best of our ability. At the moment, we have no plans to withdraw from the mixed doubles competition."

"But are you confident that Liz can make it through the match today? And if she's not on top form, are you expecting to have to pick up the slack to make up for her shortcomings?" the woman probed again.

At the continuing questioning, he let out an irritated sigh. "As I've just mentioned, I'm fully aware of Liz's capabilities and I believe that she is up to playing," replied Max, his tone slightly edgy.

"Max," piped up a blonde lady in the front row, saving him from further questions from the American. "We all saw how worried you were for Liz when she collapsed. Is it true that you spent the night in hospital with her?"

Max sighed again, "Yes, I went to the hospital to see her, but I didn't stay overnight. Liz needed her rest and to be honest, I had no real right to be there."

"You had no right? We've all heard the rumours that you and Liz are an item again; are you telling me that this is not true?"

Beside Liz, Max shifted uncomfortably and she found herself unable to look at him, as she wondered what he would say.

"No, it's not true," he said eventually. "Yes, I was worried about Liz. She is my doubles partner, so I am entitled to worry if I think something's wrong."

The atmosphere in the room shifted slightly as the press caught the warning tone in Max voice and at the table, Liz looked down, his words sinking in.

Luckily, the next question was directed at her, which took the pressure off a little.

"Liz, you'll still be competing in the mixed doubles, but would you care to comment on your feelings on forfeiting your match and therefore the singles tournament?"

"Well, obviously I'm disappointed that I had to withdraw from the singles," said Liz, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't, but these things happen. I'm not going to dwell on it, but instead I'm going to do what I can to play my best in the mixed matches this week."

"But, surely the question now is, can you really play your best after being released from hospital only 24 hours ago?" probed the short, chubby man who'd asked the previous question.

"Both my doctor and my coach have given me a clean bill of health and I believe that my fitness has not been affected, so this afternoon, I will be playing to the best of my ability.

"Speaking of being fit," came another voice, this time from an Australian journalist on the other side of the room. "Liz, something isn't sounding quite right here. I mean, very few athletes just collapse on court after a bad night's sleep and no breakfast. What's really going on? Is your collapse more serious than you're letting on?"

Feeling a little like a deer caught in headlights, Liz's heart sank as she first looked to Max, whose stance was now rigid, and then to David for some help. Was this it, the moment of truth?

Sucking in a deep breath, Liz turned back to face the press, "I – I understand that there have been some concerns in recent months, but it's nothing serious. I just had a bad day, that's all."

"But could you not say that even one bad day might be cause for concern? Can you really be confident in your ability to compete in the mixed after you were obviously not able to do so in the singles tournament?" continued the man.

That was it, Liz had had enough of their probing, "I'm sorry, I've said all I have to say on this matter."

Realising that Liz wasn't going to add anything more, the Australian turned to Max, "Max, do you know what's wrong with Liz?"

"I don't seem to remember her saying anything was wrong," he replied coldly, "so, I'm afraid I can't answer that question."

"Do Liz's health problems have anything to do with your break up two years ago?" the man persisted.

"I don't see what relevance that question has to this interview," stated Max firmly. "We are not here to discuss either the past or our personal lives."

Obviously understanding that his questions were going to be left unanswered, the Australian took a seat, as several other journalists indicated that they wished to say something.

"David, do you feel it was a wise idea allowing Max and Liz to play together again considering their history together and the fact that Liz left without a word two years ago?"

David bristled, while Liz inwardly cringed. This was not going well at all.

"I'm afraid that question is irrelevant and inappropriate in these circumstances," David informed the reporter. "I'm afraid I cannot comment on my players' personal lives."

"Mr. Johnson–" began yet another member of the press, but it was obvious to Liz that David had had enough. He held up a hand.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen, I think that's all the questions we have time for today. Max and Liz need to prepare for their match and I'm sure you have other players to interview, so I'd like to thank you all for coming and wish you all the best."

With that, he indicated for Liz and Max to stand up and leave the room. Once outside, round the corner and away from the press, Liz closed her eyes and leaned back against a wall, while Max paced back and forth in front of her.

"You know, maybe that wasn't such a good idea," spoke up David, as he joined them in the corridor. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have put either of you in that position."

Liz lifted her head in time to see Max shooting David a look.

"Yeah, well, it's done now," he shrugged. "I'm gonna go grab something to eat. I'll see you before the match, okay, Liz?"

She nodded and then watched as Max made his way towards the clubhouse entrance, before turning to David.

"Well, he doesn't seem too happy," she muttered. Then with a sigh, added, "God, did I do the right thing, not telling them the whole truth?"

"I think it was the only thing you could do in there," replied David. "I know you don't like to lie, but telling the truth would have opened up a whole can of worms and honestly, I don't think that would be good for you right now. If you can, I think you should try to get through the rest of the week and then maybe release an official statement after the tournament is over."

"Yeah, that might work," agreed Liz hesitantly, as she wondered how much longer she would be able to keep her illness a secret from the rest of the world.

_TBC…_


	24. Chapter 23

**Part Twenty-Three**

**_Monday 2nd July 2007_**

Liz let out a groan of frustration as Max once again hit a powerful, almost aggressive serve into the net. It was the third time he'd done so in the last two games and she was beginning to get annoyed with his attitude towards the match. When he'd met up with her again after lunch, about thirty minutes before they were due to go out on court, he'd appeared a little more relaxed than he had been during and after the press conference and Liz had hoped that their doubles match would go smoothly. However, despite managing to win the first set 7-5 fairly easily even though Liz was not quite at her strongest, the second set seemed to be going down the drain rather rapidly. They were currently losing 3 games to 1 and judging by the way Max had just served, they were about to lose another.

Although he had been encouraging and supportive towards her earlier in the day for some reason, he now seemed distracted and impatient and his sudden change in demeanour was affecting their ability to work effectively as a team. At first, Liz had wondered if perhaps he was acting up a little in an attempt to take the press and fans' attention away from her, but it soon became obvious that he was simply in a bad mood and was not trying to hide it.

As she heard Max bouncing the ball behind her, Liz shook her thoughts from her mind and got into position for his second serve. Her preparation was in vain however, when he once again served into the net, earning himself a double fault and allowing their opposition to win the game. Straightening up, Liz closed her eyes briefly in disappointment, before following Max off the court for their quick break between games. Once they reached their assigned chairs next to the umpire's chair, she caught him by the arm, turning him to face her.

"What the hell is going on out there, Max?"

"What do you mean?" he shrugged, avoiding her gaze as he shook out of her grip, took a seat and reached for his water bottle.

"I mean, if anyone should be messing up on court today, it's me. I thought we were in this together, you know, helping each other out today?" questioned Liz, as she sat down beside him.

"Look," said Max, taking a swig of liquid before glancing at her, "I know you're still recovering from the weekend, but you're not the only one who can have a bad day. I can't be perfect all the time. So, I double-faulted this game – big deal."

"Okay, fine," Liz turned her attention to adjusting her tennis outfit, very aware that the press was watching their every move. "Obviously, you're in a bad mood this afternoon, but please can you not take your anger out on the court? We're gonna lose match if you keep playing like this."

To her right, Max was silent.

"Max?" she questioned, when she got no response.

"Okay," he sighed. "I get it. I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks," smiled Liz, more for the benefit of the cameras she knew were trained on the two of them rather than because she was pleased he'd agreed to cooperate.

From that point onwards, things began to get better on court. Max was still playing aggressively, but he'd toned his attitude down a little and had reduced the number of unforced errors he was making. Liz wasn't sure how exactly they managed it, but thirty minutes later they'd won four straight games and were leading 5 games to 4. Now if only they could break serve in this game, she and Max would be through to the third round.

The game got off to a good start for their opposition, as the female player served two aces, bringing the score to 30-0, but then she appeared to lose concentration, which allowed Max to win the next point. The next few minutes were tense, as Liz brought the score to 30-40, giving her and Max a match point, but then their opponents fought back to and won the point. Once at deuce, Max and Liz had difficulty overcoming the final hurdle of winning the match, as they reached Advantage twice, but lost both points and then the other players took advantage of their apparent weakness and managed to reach Advantage also. Luckily, Liz managed to win back the point and eventually, they found themselves with a match point once again. This time, it seemed that Max was in no mood to play games any longer and returned the opposition's serve with great force. The ball sailed right down the centre line, travelling too fast to enable the other team to hit it, and landed just inside the back line.

Liz let out a sigh of relief as she punched the air with her fist; they'd actually won the match! With a grin, she turned to face Max, who also had a smile on his face, and high-fived him. He gave her a congratulatory pat on the back and a quick hug, before they headed off the court, grabbed their training bags and left the stadium.

After their press conference ordeal earlier in the day, the quick post-match interview conducted just outside the court was a breeze. Liz answered a couple of quick questions about her good performance considering that she had been in hospital over the weekend and Max was congratulated on his powerful serves during the match. They were both full of smiles for the press as they walked out of the court area and headed into the changing areas, but the moment they were away from the attention, Max's smile vanished and the atmosphere between them seemed to shift.

"Okay, I've gotta go," he announced suddenly, as they stopped in a secluded hallway. "See you later."

Liz frowned; he was just gonna leave without getting changed or discussing the match with her first?

"You're going? Now?"

"Yeah," he shrugged, as if it was no big deal.

"But… shouldn't we be celebrating, or talking about our strategies for the next match… or something?" Liz was confused.

"Look I'm sorry, Liz but I'm just not in the mood right now," he stated, as he tried to push past her.

"No," she put her foot down; grabbing his elbow and spinning him back to face her. "I want to know what's going on with you. Just this morning you were all about sticking together this week and now it feels like we're back to square one again."

"Yeah, well, maybe I've realised that actually I can't just forgive and forget the last two years, like you seem to be trying to do, and act like nothing's changed," he spat out, shaking his arm from her grip for the second time that afternoon.

"What?" Liz sucked in a breath.

"You heard me, Liz," he rolled his eyes. "Do you have any idea what I went through when you just up and left without a word?" He shook his head, his mouth twisted up in a sneer. "You destroyed my life, Liz. I was a wreck for months; I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, and my career just about went down the drain. And for what? So you could live the high life on a desert island?"

"Max, I –" Liz started, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

Max held up a hand, "Don't, Liz, okay? You know, I thought I was okay with this. I thought I could handle working with you again, but you know what? This morning just brought it all back to me. Do you know how long it took me to get over you? A year and a half, that's how long. And just when I'd finally got my life back, you show up again."

"I'm sorry," Liz spoke up, as soon as she could get a word in. "I'm so sorry, Max." She brought her hand up to cover her mouth as an uncontrollable sob escaped from her mouth. "I never meant to hurt you. I was trying to protect you."

Max just looked down at her, shaking his head in disbelief, "Protect me? How? By ripping out my heart and tearing it to shreds? I don't think so. You were thinking only of yourself and your own pain."

"No, that's not it," she protested, a couple of tears leaking out of her eyes and snaking down her cheeks. "I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was sparing you the pain of watching as I got worse and worse."

Max looked away for a moment and Liz watched as he sucked in a breath and then exhaled loudly.

"Look, I don't want to trivialise what was happening to you. I understand that you were scared and ill, but how could you think that not confiding me and instead just leaving the country was the best thing to do?"

Liz was silent for a moment, unable to find an answer. She looked down, "I don't know."

"I loved you so much, Liz; more than life itself," Max confessed softly. "And I still do; which is why I've tried my best to be supportive over the last couple of days. But all those questions this morning just brought it all back to me. I can understand why you did what you did, but I don't think I can forgive you right now. I just need some time."

Liz nodded sadly. "Okay," she whispered. "I'll give you some time then. But I just want you know that the last two years have been just about as hard on me as they have on you. You weren't the only one suffering…"

* * *

_**Monday 5**__**th**__** September 2005 - Thailand**_

_Liz let out a small moan as she turned onto her side and pried her eyes open, fully expecting Max to be lying beside her in bed, his warmth surrounding her like a comforting blanket. However, the moment her gaze fell on the still unfamiliar wooden dressing table against the wall and the mahogany chair in the corner, everything came rushing back to her. She wasn't in their cosy, homely flat in London and Max wasn't there with her. No, she was in her own bare apartment in a small coastal town in Thailand._

_Her chest began to ache with sadness and longing as she struggled to sit up in bed – something that seemed to take a lot of energy these days. She closed her eyes for a moment as she felt a lump form in her throat. No, she wouldn't cry, she shook her head in an attempt to bring her emotions under control. God, she was a mess. She missed Max so much it hurt; she missed his warm embrace; she missed his eager, passionate kisses; she missed his laughter and his uncanny ability to always know how to cheer her up when she was down._

_A sudden wave of homesickness flowed through her body. If only she could just go back to that day and do things differently. Not for the first time in the last few weeks, she wished that she'd never left London, but whenever she entertained the idea that perhaps she could go home, tell Max the truth and get her life back, her health would take a turn for the worse and she would remember exactly why she'd left in the first place. She couldn't let Max see her like this and even more devastatingly, she couldn't just sit there and watch from the sidelines as he got to live out his dream on court when she barely had the strength to hold a racket._

_Today however, she was found herself missing Max more than ever, and as she dragged herself out of bed and headed to the bathroom for a shower, she began to think that maybe enough was enough. Her body was literally aching for his touch and all she wanted right now was to be with him, his warmth surrounding her as he told her that he loved her and assured her that everything would be okay. That was it, she decided as she stepped beneath the warm spray of the shower, she had to go back. She had to see him. She had to explain and apologise and tell him how much she loved him._

_Her mind made up, she finished her shower, got dressed and then began packing her belongings. Once she was done, Liz then headed into the kitchen to fix herself some breakfast. As she turned on the TV and began to flick through the channels as she rummaged in the fridge, she couldn't help the small smile from appearing on her face. It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was going home… to Max._

_Liz spent the next few minutes humming away while she made beans on toast and poured orange juice, but her relief and happiness was short-lived as anew broadcast on one of the trashy English-speaking channels caught her eye._

"_And now, we have exclusive footage of tennis star Max Evans leaving posh London hotel, The Berkeley, in the early hours of this morning where it is believed that he may have spent the night with an unnamed up-and-coming female tennis player."_

_Liz gasped in horror as video footage of Max leaving the hotel in Knightsbridge appeared on the screen. _

_The reporter continued with her story, "Inside sources are claiming that Max turned to this girl for comfort after spectacularly losing to 18-year-old wildcard Carlos Mendez in the second round of the US Open last week. His uncharacteristic behaviour has also been linked to the rumours that fiancée Liz Parker, who has not been seen for almost two months, has returned to her old wild ways. It is thought that she was cheating on him and has now run away with her secret lover."_

"_What the fuck?" exclaimed Liz in anger, staring at the TV screen in disgust. "That's not true!"_

"_A close friend of Mr. Evans has revealed that Max is trying to put Liz Parker behind him and move on with his life, after she almost destroyed him. His friend has been quoted as saying, 'Max told me himself that Liz Parker was the most selfish, inconsiderate person he'd ever met and that he never wanted to set eyes on her again.'"_

"_Oh, God," gasped Liz, moving to turn off the TV, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. "What did I do?"_

_Max hated her; he never wanted to see her again. God, just a few minutes ago, she'd been so sure if she went home and apologised that they could work things out, but it was obvious now: she couldn't go back. Max hated her guts and he had moved on, as if she'd meant nothing to him. No, she couldn't go back now; if Max didn't want her, then she had no reason to return to England._

_TBC…_


	25. Chapter 24

**Part Twenty-Four**

_**Monday 5**__**th**__** September 2005 - London**_

_There was a violent knocking at the door. Max groaned, hoisting his upper body off the couch, one hand cradling his throbbing head, as he pulled himself up into a sitting position._

"_Max!" the annoyed tone of his coach sounded from the other side of the front door. "Max, are you there?"_

"_It's open," he managed, wincing as renewed pain shot through his head._

_Max exhaled loudly as he heard Todd step through the door and into the flat. Cautiously, he opened his eyes, trying to get accustomed to the light. He was suffering from a monster hangover today, having indulged in way too much alcohol last night. He hadn't planned on drinking that much – it was only supposed to be a night out in the pub with his best friend Nathan, commiserating his losing so early on in the US Open last week – but instead, Nathan's girlfriend, Sarah had turned up with one of her friends and the four of them ended up going for dinner in The Berkeley Hotel… and then drinking way too much champagne. Despite Nathan, Sarah and her friend leaving before midnight, Max had continued to drown his sorrows until the early hours of the morning and as a result, had not returned home until after dawn._

"_Have you seen the news, Max?" wondered Todd, as he came to a stop beside the sofa and gazed down at Max disapprovingly._

"_Not yet," muttered Max, running a hand over his face wearily. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm in the midst of a hangover."_

"_Well, you'd better get over it quick," Todd raised an eyebrow, "'cause you've got some damage control to get going with."_

"_What are you talking about?" he groaned, swallowing harshly, his throat parched._

"_This is what I'm talking about, Max," said Todd, shoving a tabloid newspaper under his nose._

_Tiredly, Max took it from him and scanned the page. There was a picture of himself, looking rather worse for wear as he stepped out of revolving door of The Berkeley hotel. Beneath the photo was the caption, 'Max Evans leaves posh London hotel after a wild night with teenage tennis star.'_

_What the-? _

_The headline of the story below read 'Evans: "I'm over selfish Parker"'. Max froze, his heart almost stopping, as he scanned the words on the page… 'Max Evans appears to be getting over Liz Parker'… 'spent the night with 18-year-old up-and-coming tennis star'… 'sources claim Max is over Liz, believing her selfish and inconsiderate'… 'never wants to see Liz Parker again'._

_Max's heart sank, as he raised his eyes to meet his coach's, "What the fuck is this?"_

_Todd shrugged, "You tell me."_

"_I have no idea!" exclaimed Max, his head hurting at the sound of his own raised voice. "Where the hell did these people get the idea I spent the night with some… teenager? I had way too much too drink and passed out in the hotel bar!"_

"_Look, Max, what you do…" _

"_No!" he cried. "You don't understand; I have no idea what this is about. I haven't slept with anyone since…" he trailed off, before taking a breath and continuing, "And when did I ever say that Liz was selfish and that I wanted nothing to do with her? Yeah, I'm angry and upset with her, but I've never said those things about her for anyone to quote."_

"_Max–"_

"_And who the hell is this 'close friend-slash-source' they're talking about? The only person I've talked to about any of this is Nathan, and he would never…" he stopped, a dreadful thought occurring to him. "Oh, God."_

"_What?" asked Todd, apprehension in his tone._

_The paper slipped from his fingers, as he buried his face in his hands, "Last night… I think I may have said some stupid things when I was drunk. We were in the hotel; there were loads of people around, anyone could have… God, this is all my fault, I'm such an idiot! If only I'd kept my stupid mouth shut…"_

"_Well, we could release a statement, but to be honest, I think the damage is done now. It's already all over the tabloids and trashy magazines and I doubt that trying to set the record straight now is going to do much good," admitted Todd. "You know what the tabloids are like."_

"_Yeah, I guess," shrugged Max, as he stood up from the sofa and made his way into the kitchen in search of some paracetamol for his head._

"_Besides," continued Todd, following him into the other room, "you have more important things to worry about at the moment. Like sorting your life out. Did you think about what I said, about talking to someone about what you're going though?"_

"_Yeah, I did," he mumbled, while rummaging around in the cupboard for the medicine box he knew Liz kept in there. "I have an appointment with a counsellor on Thursday morning."_

"_That's good to hear," smiled Todd, crossing his arms as he leaned against the kitchen doorframe._

"_I suppose," muttered Max unenthusiastically, as he filled a glass with water from the tap, gulped down a couple of pills and then sank down into one of the kitchen chairs._

"Hey," said his coach, moving from the doorway to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, "you'll get through this, okay? I'm sure of it. It's gonna be hard, but you'll be back to your old self in no time…"

* * *

**Monday 2****nd**** July 2007**

"You were gonna come back?" questioned Max, interrupting Liz from describing her feelings in Thailand. "And that stupid tabloid story was the reason you changed you changed your mind? God, Liz–" he sighed in both disappointment and disbelief, as he remembered his own reaction to the story.

"It wasn't just that," defended Liz, but Max continued on, ignoring her words.

" –That story was complete crap. I was so drunk that I passed out in the hotel bar –alone – and didn't wake up until morning. I was so hung up on you that I turned to drowning my sorrows," he admitted, almost embarrassed to reveal his weakness.

"But you hated me, Max!" scoffed Liz. "You couldn't even stand the sight of me."

"That was a misunderstanding," he told her, wondering why he was suddenly feeling the need to explain himself to her. After all, she was the one who should be giving the explanations here. "I said some stupid things when I was drunk and some random overheard me and blabbed to the press."

"It wasn't just that incident, Max," she said then. "It took a lot of thinking on my part and a conversation with my dad to make me realise that I knew you better than that. I even considered coming back a couple of weeks later, but then I discovered that there must have been some truth to the story and I realised that coming home would have been a mistake."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, with a sigh.

"You remember the interview you did with Ace magazine, don't you, Max?" muttered Liz sarcastically. "What was it you said? Oh yeah, that's right: 'My career can be very demanding and when there are certain people who mess with your feelings and screw you around, it only makes things that much harder. Now though, those people are out of my life for good and I'm moving on for the better, making a new life for myself without all that hassle.' " Liz paused for a moment to take a breath and Max felt his heart sink at her words. "God, Max, if that wasn't clearly stating that you didn't want me in your life, then I don't know what was."

He sighed, "I was angry then, Liz; angry at you, at myself, at the world. So yes, at that point I didn't want to see you, but god, if you'd walked through the door at that moment with an apology and an explanation, I would have probably been over the moon."

"Max," Liz's hand came up to cover her mouth. "I–"

"But, you didn't come back, did you?" he cried, shaking his head, his chest tightening with emotion. "You didn't even call. And that hurt me so much. I was angry and upset and on a downward spiral. It took months of therapy to get over you and stop being angry."

"I'm sor–"

"Look," he held up a hand to stop her, too riled up now to talk rationally, "I can't do this right now, okay, Liz? I have a match to prepare for this evening and I can't get into all of this again now."

"But, I–" Liz started, but Max cut her off.

"I gotta go," he said hastily, the thought of a heart-to-heart with her at this moment filling him with dread. "Sorry."

Without another word, he brushed past her, unable to look into her eyes and see the emotion in them. As he made his way out of the building and towards the changing rooms, he couldn't help but wonder how on earth they'd got to this point. More than anything, he just wanted to turn back time to that morning – the last morning he'd seen Liz before she'd disappeared – and prevent her from ever leaving.

It was almost eleven pm by the time Max returned to his flat that night. His fourth round singles match that evening had been long and tiring – lasting almost four hours and stretching to five sets – but he had fortunately managed to win 6-4 in the final set. Despite pouring all of his frustration and emotion into his game and playing well, his opponent was a very good player – one of the top seeds – and he had to fight almost tooth and nail to win the match.

With an exhausted sigh, he dropped his racket bag on the floor just inside his front door and made his way into the kitchen to grab a drink from the fridge. As he took a gulp of his orange juice and heading for his bedroom, he couldn't help but gaze around the place he now called home.

Almost depressingly, it pretty much looked like a bachelor pad, with no female touches, apart from a few of Isabel's magazines, but instead a lot of high-tech gadgets and stark furniture. He felt a pang of longing in his chest as he remembered the atmosphere and décor of the flat he and Liz had shared until a couple of years ago. He'd sold it a few months after she'd gone, unable to live with the memories the place held, but now, for some perverse reason, he almost wished he'd kept it.

He was so confused right now. On the one hand, he was having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that Liz was back and that he now knew the truth; he didn't know how he was supposed to forget what she'd inadvertently done to him or how he was supposed to forgive her for not confiding in him, but on the other hand, all his heart wanted was to be with her again, to hold her in his arms, to make love to her, to be happy with her again.

Why did life have to be so confusing and difficult all the time? Why couldn't things just be simple and easy for once? Why couldn't he just be happy?

_TBC…_


	26. Chapter 25

**P art Twenty-Five**

_**Tuesday 3**__**rd**__** July 2007**_

The phone was ringing. Persistently.

Max rolled over in bed. His eyes still closed, he reached blindly for the phone, which currently rested on the bedside table. God, it was his day off, couldn't people just leave him alone for once?

"'Lo?" he all but grunted, his mind still foggy with sleep.

"Hi, honey," came a chirpy voice along the line. "Congratulations on your win last night."

"Hey, Mum," he greeted, forcing himself to not to roll his eyes at her timing as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. "Thanks."

"I saw the press conference yesterday; it must have been hard for you," Diane continued.

"Yeah," shrugged Max uncomfortably, standing up and heading into the kitchen to make some coffee.

"Your father and I were wondering what happened on Saturday; is Liz okay?" she questioned.

"Yeah, she's fine now," Max assured her, as he grabbed a mug from the cupboard, "it was just something that happened, you know?"

"Well, I'm glad she's all right, but how are things with you and Liz?" she questioned. "Has she told you why she left yet?"

Max fiddled with the knobs on the coffee maker as he considered how to answer Diane's question. He hadn't told his parents about Liz's illness and her reasons for leaving yet. Since it was obvious that only a handful of people knew the truth and Liz didn't appear to be in any hurry to broadcast it to anyone else, he wasn't sure if he should tell his family just yet.

"I – yeah, uh, we've talked," he admitted. "But there's a lot going on and things are kind of difficult, so I don't really know where I stand right now."

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry you're having to go through this again," sympathised Diane, "I know how tough things were for you when she left."

"Yeah," murmured Max, cradling the phone between his ear and his shoulder as he fixed his coffee and took a sip.

"I mean, it took you a long time to come to terms with her leaving before and I'd hate to see you go downhill again," she added.

Max rolled his eyes, albeit somewhat good-naturedly, at her worrying and took another sip of coffee, just as his doorbell rang.

"Don't worry, Mum," he assured her, leaving the coffee mug on the counter and making his way out of the kitchen to answer the door, "I can handle it."

"Oh, I know, honey," she sighed, "I just worry about you; I'm your mum, I can't help it."

"Yeah, I know you can't," he chuckled, as he opened the door. His smile faded into a look of surprise when he saw who was on the other side. "Actually, can I call you back later?" he added then, as he took in the person standing in his doorway, "There's someone at the door."

"Sure you can, hon," agreed Diane warmly. "I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay, great; thanks."

"I love you, darling."

"Love you too," he smiled, "bye."

He hung up the phone and let it hang limply in his hand as he addressed the newcomer.

"Liz? What are you doing here?"

* * *

Liz swallowed harshly as the door swung open, revealing Max wearing nothing but boxers, his hair sticking out in all directions, obviously he'd only just got out of bed He was talking on the phone, but looked surprised when he saw her.

"Actually, can I call you back? There's someone at the door," he said to the caller, as he looked at her. "Okay, great; thanks."

Liz shifted uncomfortably as he told the person on the other end that he loved them too and hung up and she couldn't help but wonder who he'd been talking to. Was it a woman? Was he secretly involved with someone that he hadn't told her or the press about? Her mind was reeling with thoughts.

"Liz? What are you doing here?" he asked, his expression confused.

"Hi, Max," she murmured almost shyly. "Sorry to just drop in on you like this, but I was hoping we could talk?"

"Talk?" he questioned, a hard edge to his voice. Obviously he was still somewhat angry after their argument yesterday.

"Please, Max?" she begged softly. "I think there's a lot we still need to say to each other."

He watched her carefully for a moment, before letting out a sigh, "Fine." He opened the door wider, "Come in."

She nodded and stepped inside, her eyes sweeping over the sparse décor of his flat, before landing on him once more. God, she'd forgotten how good he looked topless; in fact, he must have been working out lately, because he looked even better than she remembered. His stomach muscles were even more defined, his arms were bigger and his boxers hugged his strong thighs. She gulped as her mind began to wander… until Max cleared his throat; her eyes snapped to his face and she could feel her cheeks heating up as she realised she'd been staring.

"Why don't you take a seat?" he suggested, gesturing to the couch, "I'll just go and get changed."

Liz nodded mutely and moved round to the front of the couch as Max turned and headed towards another room, presumably his bedroom and she couldn't help but stare at his backside as he left.

While she waited for him to return, Liz took the opportunity to study his living space. Looking round, she had to admit that the place had a completely different atmosphere than the flat they'd shared and it was even different from the apartment he'd lived in before they'd become a couple. This flat seemed… empty and almost devoid of feeling… and Liz found that kind of sad. Of course, there were small touches of personality scattered around the room, a couple of photos of Max and Isabel with their parents, a picture or two of Max in his tennis gear and with a cup in his hands and a trophy or two on the shelves, but not much else.

There was a large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall and a stereo system in the corner of the room, with a pile of CDs and DVD's beside it, but still, it didn't show much personality. The thing that hit Liz hardest, although she knew it shouldn't, was that there was not a single piece of evidence that she had once been a major part of his life, not even a photo of the two of them winning a tournament together. Obviously he tried his best to forget she'd even existed in his life and that hurt, even though she knew she deserved it.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Max's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, as he re-entered the living room. "Tea, coffee?"

"Coffee would be great, thanks," she replied politely and he nodded, heading into the kitchen to fix the drinks.

"Here you go," he returned a few moments later and handed her a mug,

"Thanks," she replied with a small smile, looking down at the swirling liquid as he took a seat in the armchair next to the sofa.

They sat in silence for a few seconds, each taking a sip of coffee and getting comfortable, before Max spoke up,

"So, you wanted to talk?"

"Yeah," nodded Liz, "I think we need to, don't you? Really talk, I mean."

"So, talk," he told her, a slight edge to his voice, one that Liz wasn't sure how to take.

"Okay," she started, exhaling loudly, "Max…"

She trailed off as she looked at him, wondering how and why on Earth she had hurt this man so badly. She felt a tightening in her chest and suddenly the emotion just came pouring out.

"I hate myself, Max," she announced, her breath hitching in her throat. "I hate myself so much; for what I did to you when I left, for what that did to your life, for not being brave enough to talk to you about my fears, for coming back again and ruining everything for you," she felt tears begin to pool in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Max. I look back at the last two years and I can't even believe that I did it, you know? I can't believe that was me; God, I ruined everything!"

"Liz," murmured Max, shaking his head, his expression softening at her words. He leaned forward, "Yes, what you did was wrong and stupid, and I wish to God that you'd come to me first and told me the truth, but I do understand that you did what you thought was right at the time."

"But yesterday you said–"

"I know what I said," he glanced down at his coffee for a moment, "I was angry and upset at the whole situation and I spoke my mind." He sighed, "I'm so confused at the moment, Liz. I look at you now, knowing that you're sorry and that you're dealing with this illness, and I just want to take you into my arms and never let you go; but then I remember how I felt when I found out you'd gone and what I went through because of that, and I feel hurt and angry all over again."

"Oh, Max, I'm so sorry," cried Liz, desperately trying to make him understand how much she meant it.

"I know you are, Liz," he murmured, "and I really want to forgive you, but it's so hard for me not to remember the past whenever I see you."

"It's hard for me too," she said, "When I think back over what I've been through in the last two years, I hate what I did too."

"Why, what happened?" asked Max, his tone surprisingly gentle.

She sucked in a breath, exhaling slowly before answering, "Despite what you probably think, I haven't spent the last two years sunning myself on a tropical island while you were miserable and upset here. Yes, I was in Thailand, in a small private resort my dad found for me, but my life there was anything but fun."

"What do you mean?"

"I was sick and miserable and scared," she admitted. "My symptoms took a long time to get better and some days I barely had the strength to get out of bed. I couldn't go home because I thought you didn't want me and I had to make sure that no one from the press found out where I was, which meant that my parents couldn't visit very often without raising suspicions.

"The only person I could talk to was Martin," she added sadly, looking down into her coffee mug as she spoke. "He helped me through so much. I mean, there were times I felt I couldn't go on and he saved me from doing something incredibly stupid on more than one occasion."

"Oh, Liz…" muttered Max, his hand coming to rest on her knee, squeezing reassuringly.

"If it weren't for him and his concern for me, I don't think I'd be sitting here today," admitted Liz softly, looking back up into Max's eyes. "I've lost count of the number of times I wished I hadn't left and that I had done things differently; but I can't change the past, so all I can do now is look to the future."

Max nodded in understanding, but didn't say anything.

"At first, I thought it was a stupid idea when Martin suggested I consider going back to the game again. I'd programmed myself to believe I was sick and nothing else; I hadn't experienced any further symptoms in months and I was beginning to lead a normal life again, but in my mind, I was still this fragile, sick person," she told him. "But, he kept insisting and even went to David behind my back, and before I knew it, I was back in training again. When I found out I had qualified for Wimbledon this year, I decided that it was time I came home and got my life back."

Max frowned, sitting up in his seat, his hand dropping from where it had been resting on her knee, "But the other day you said you never intended come back, or to tell me the truth."

"I said I didn't know if I would have," she clarified, "and to be totally honest, I didn't. When I first came back, I had no intention of talking to you at all, because I thought you wouldn't want anything to do with me; but when you agreed to play mixed, I thought maybe there was a chance I could make things right. But it was obvious you still hated me, so I put on a brave face in an attempt to get through the tournament without you finding out."

"But, why?" he burst out, his anguish clearly written on his face. "I was desperate to know why you'd broken my heart. Why didn't you just talk to me?"

"I just couldn't," she admitted, an uncontrollable sob escaping her lips. "I didn't know how. And the more I put it off, the harder it got." She wiped the tears from her eyes, "But I'm glad you know now and I can't apologise enough for keeping it from you for so long."

Max sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Liz, I… I wish I could say that all is forgiven and that now I know the truth, we can put the last two years behind us and move on, but I'm afraid it's not going to be as easy as that for me."

Liz's face crumpled once more, as she opened her mouth to protest, to try to persuade him to give her another chance, but before she could say a word, Max held up a hand to stop her.

"But," he said, his expression softening slightly, "despite what happened, I do still love you–"

"Me too," she interrupted quickly, "I never stopped."

Max nodded in understanding, "I know you do, Liz. Look, what I'm trying to say is that I think I'm willing to take a chance and see if we can work through this."

"Really?" wondered Liz in surprise.

"The last two years have been complete hell without you. I was angry and upset with you for a long time; I even hated you for a while. Eventually, with a lot of help from my therapist, I managed to come to terms with the fact that you left me and that I was alone. I thought I was moving on; I thought I was prepared to live my life without you by my side, but the moment I saw you again the other week, I knew that I would never be fully over you."

Liz sucked in a hopeful breath.

He shrugged, "I think that's why I've been acting so awful the last few weeks. I hated the fact that you could still get to me after all this time."

"You still get to me too, Max," she admitted. "I didn't leave because I didn't love you or want you anymore. I left because I loved you so much; I didn't want you to see me suffering."

Max looked confused, "But that day… you were telling me you wanted to retire, to start a family with me. So what I don't get is… you say you didn't want me to see you suffer, but what if I'd said yes that morning? What if I'd agreed with your decision to retire? What if I'd said yes to a baby? Surely, you would have stayed?" he snorted, shaking his head. "I just don't understand, Liz, help me out here."

Liz sighed, looking around the room as she tried to sort through the jumbled thoughts in her head, "God, I don't even know what I was thinking; I guess I wasn't thinking, really." She shook her head, " When I was diagnosed, the doctor told me the symptoms could get much worse before I went into remission, that was if I went into remission at all. He said that the longer I waited, the less chance there was that I could cope with having a child. He suggested that if I wanted to have children, I should do it as soon as possible, in case things went wrong in the future."

She glanced at Max, who was watching her carefully, his expression giving away little of his emotions.

"Max," her voice cracked, "I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you, have children with you; but at the same time, I couldn't force you into something you weren't ready for. And it was obvious you weren't ready to start a family with me just then."

"But, Liz," he spoke up, his tone anguished. "If you'd just come to me and told me the truth, you know I would have supported your decision to retire. Maybe I would have preferred to wait a while, but if I'd known what you were going through, I would have agreed to it regardless."

"Maybe, but it wouldn't have been a mutual decision; I would have felt guilty for forcing you into it. For all I knew, it was my only chance to have children and if I couldn't have them with you, then I couldn't have them with anyone. I thought that leaving was the only way I could cope with what was happening to me. I couldn't be around you, knowing that you wanted me to continue with my career and wanted to have children when we were both completely ready, when I just wasn't in a position to give that to you," she began to sob, fresh tears leaking from her eyes.

* * *

Max's heart broke for Liz as she confessed her feelings about leaving and he could no longer just sit there and do nothing. He placed his coffee mug on the floor and moved to sit next to her on the sofa, his arms coming around her in comfort.

"I'm so sorry you felt that way," he murmured, holding her to him, cradling her in his arms. "I just wish you'd been honest with me. I don't understand why you felt you had to hide all this from me, or why you chose to run away and try to deal with it on your own instead of coming to me for help."

He felt Liz shake her head against his chest and he heard her breath hitch.

"I don't know," she confessed, "I wasn't thinking straight. I wish I could just turn back time and do things differently, but I can't."

"I know, me too," he murmured softly. "Look I'm willing to try and put the past behind me and look towards the future, but I can't guarantee anything else right now."

"Really?" she sniffed, shifting to look up at him. "Thank you so much, Max. I'm going to do everything I can to make this right."

Max nodded, feeling a lump form in his throat as he stared down into her vulnerable expression. Before he could stop himself, he'd lifted a hand to her face, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, before allowing his fingers to rest on her cheek.

It had been so long since he'd been his close to her, holding her in his arms, and he was suddenly assaulted by happier memories of the past. Despite his reservations, he found his gaze drawn to her perfect mouth, her full, pink lips beckoning to him. Under the circumstances he knew it was wrong to be feeling this way, but right now he just couldn't help it.

As his head began lowering towards hers, he prayed to God that he wasn't about to make a huge mistake.

_TBC…_


	27. Chapter 26

**Part Twenty-Six**

_**Tuesday 3**__**rd**__** July 2007**_

He knew it was too soon and that he was possibly about to ruin everything he'd been working towards for the past two years, but he just couldn't help it. His pulse was racing, his mouth mere millimetres from hers and in that moment, he realised that there was no way he could stop now. He felt a tingle shoot down his spine as his lips finally met hers for the first time in two years; one touch of her soft, warm lips and he was gone.

Max's hand slid from Liz's cheek and buried itself in her hair, as he deepened the kiss, his instincts taking over and pushing all thoughts of logic and reason to the back of his mind. This felt right; it felt like coming home. Right then, in that moment, the last two years and all of the crap that had happened just melted away. Here, in his flat, with Liz in his arms, he could just pretend that they were happy and engaged and on the brink of a perfect life together. And he didn't ever want that feeling to stop.

He didn't know when it happened, but somehow they were no longer sitting up on the couch and his hand was no longer just entwined in Liz's hair. No, instead, it had wrapped round to cup the back of her neck, as his other hand was cradling her lower back. Now he had her body trapped beneath him, as he poured all of his emotions into this one kiss.

"Max," murmured Liz, her soft, sighing tone only urging him on, as her hands came up to cup his cheeks and he let out a small moan in return.

"Liz…" he muttered, lifting his lips from hers to gaze down at her now flushed face. "I've missed this… missed you, so much."

"Me too," she smiled, almost tentatively, her fingers stroking his skin lightly.

He smiled down at her gently, before lowering his lips once more, this time to suckle at her neck and causing Liz's hands to slide into his hair as he relaxed into his caresses.

At the back of his mind, he knew that he was only rushing things by being this close to her so soon and that they still had a lot of work ahead of them before all their problems were resolved, which was why he was making the most of this moment, right now, holding her in his arms, without worry or hurt or confusion.

In fact, he was so caught up in making the most of the situation that he didn't hear the loud knock on the door, nor did he notice that rather than leaving when he didn't answer, the visitor instead chose to use their key and let themselves in.

"Ah-hem."

The sound of a throat clearing vaguely registered in Max's mind, but he quickly dismissed it in favour of continuing what he was doing.

"Um, am I interrupting something here?" spoke up an amused masculine tone a few seconds later.

Suddenly, Max's head shot up over the back of the sofa to face the intruder, as Liz let out a gasp, "Max? What-?"

"Nathan!" he exclaimed, releasing Liz as he scrambled off the couch and tugged at his shirt, before facing his best friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Nathan?" questioned Liz, sitting up on the sofa, a surprised expression gracing her flushed features.

Max watched Nathan's eyes widen as he took in the scene before him.

"Liz?" he wondered, choosing to ignore Max's question. "Wow!"

Nathan shot Max a look, one that was easily interpreted as 'what's going on? I thought you two hated each other'. In all the drama, he hadn't had a chance to tell Nathan that he finally knew the truth about Liz's reasons for leaving.

"Um," Max cleared his throat, glancing at Liz quickly, "Nathe…this really isn't a great time."

"Yeah, I can see that," chuckled his friend, raising an eyebrow as he spoke. This time it was Max shooting Nathan the look. "Well, since I had the day off today, I just thought I'd come by and see if you wanted to get in a bit of practise for your quarter-final match tomorrow."

"Practise?" spoke up Liz from the other side of the couch. "That sounds like a good idea. I think we could both use some practise, don't you, Max?"

"Oh?" Nathan raised his eyebrow in surprise as his attention turned to Liz. "Well, I…uh, I was really just thinking of a singles game…" he trailed off uncomfortably, glancing at Max in confusion, "… but I guess I could ring Sarah and see if she's free to join us in a mixed doubles game," he covered quickly.

"Sure, sounds great," cut in Max, as he realised that Nathan didn't have a clue as to what was going on here. "Why don't you call her in the kitchen?" he nodded towards the door meaningfully.

"Oh, um, sure," replied Nathan, slightly bewildered. "I'll just go, um…"

Max watched as Nathan headed into the kitchen, before turning back to Liz.

"Sorry, about that," he apologised quickly, as he moved round the sofa to take a seat beside her. "I didn't know he was going to come by like that."

"It's okay, Max," Liz's expression was soft. "It was probably a good thing he interrupted us." She shrugged, "I mean, we might have got carried away… and I don't think that would be a very good idea at the moment."

Max sighed, running a hand through his hair, "No, you're right. I shouldn't have kissed you like that, I'm sorry."

"I didn't mind," she smiled into his eyes for a moment, before realising what she was doing. "I mean," she cleared her throat, tearing her gaze from his, "yeah, there's still a lot we need to work out between us. It's wouldn't be right to just pretend everything was okay again, just like that."

"I agree," nodded Max, wondering why it was suddenly so hard for him to take his eyes off her after spending so long hating her guts. "Look, as you might have guessed from his reaction, Nathan doesn't know what's been happening the last few days, I haven't had a chance to tell him that I know the truth now. I'd better go let him know before we leave for the courts," he nodded towards the kitchen door.

Liz looked up at him, a slightly worried expression on her face, "Are you going to tell him about…?"

Max shook his head, already knowing what she'd been about to say, "Not if you don't want me to. I wouldn't betray your privacy like that."

Liz looked thoughtful for a moment, before exhaling loudly, "No, it's okay. I don't mind if he knows the truth. It's really just the press and tennis experts I'm trying to keep it from."

"Okay," nodded Max, unable to stop himself from smiling down at her. "If it comes up, I'll tell him."

* * *

Max entered the kitchen as he heard Nathan hanging up his phone call with his wife of just over a year. Nathan had proposed to Sarah a few months after Liz had disappeared and they'd got married last June. Despite his own relationship woes, Max couldn't have been happier for them.

"Alright, mate?" he greeted, as he stepped into the kitchen and pushed the door shut behind him. "Is Sarah free?"

"Yeah, she is," replied Nathan, as he slipped his mobile into his shorts pocket. "She'll meet us at the courts in about an hour or so."

"Great," smiled Max, "it'll be good to play a game of mixed against the two of you again."

"Yeah, about that," his friend began slowly. "What the bloody hell was going on out there? Last I heard you couldn't stand the sight of Liz Parker."

"Yeah, well," began Max softly, his hands in his trouser pockets, "some things have changed recently."

"Anything to do with Liz's spectacular collapse on court the other day and you running in to save the day?" asked his friend knowingly.

"Yeah," Max nodded in confirmation. "When she collapsed, I was so scared. I thought I might lose her," he confessed. "I went to see her in the hospital and the next day and we talked." He looked up at Nathan, "She finally told me the truth about why she left."

"And?" questioned Nathan, his tone a little sceptical. "Why did she leave?"

Max inhaled deeply, as he prepared to tell Liz's story, "A few weeks after we got engaged, Liz was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis." Nathan's eyes widened, but he didn't interrupt. "She was suffering from tiredness, blurred vision and coordination problems, to name a few, and she got scared. She thought her career… and her life… was over and she says she couldn't stand for me to have to watch her suffer, so she left."

"Without telling you?" Nathan shook his head. "Something about that doesn't seem right. Why didn't she confide in you? That doesn't seem like the Liz I know."

"Believe me, that was my first thought too," admitted Max, pausing for a second before continuing, "you remember we had a fight that day?"

"Yeah," Nathan nodded in agreement

"She told me she wanted to retire and have kids as soon as possible and I told her that we had our whole lives ahead of us. She was at the height of her career; I couldn't let her just give that up."

Nathan nodded, "I remember you telling me."

"But I didn't understand. She wouldn't tell me the real reason for her decision," he said.

"Because she was ill?"

"Not just that," admitted Max, feeling a tightening in his chest as he remembered Liz's emotional confession. "The doctor had told her that if she wanted kids, she should have them while she was young and relatively healthy, because the MS would only get worse over time and in a few years, she might not be capable of caring for children."

"Oh, man," exhaled Nathan.

"She was already feeling awful, but when I effectively said no, it was the last straw for her. She felt she had no option but to leave and suffer alone. She didn't want to force me into a life I didn't want."

"But, I know you, Max, I know how much you loved her; you would have changed your mind if she'd told you the truth."

He nodded, "Yeah, I would have."

"So I take it everything's out in the open now, then?" Nathan ventured an educated guess.

"Yeah, we've been talking things through."

Nathan raised an eyebrow, "Looked like more than talking from where I was standing."

Max shifted uncomfortably under his best friend's gaze, "Yeah, well…"

"So, do I take it that all is forgiven too?"

"Yeah… no… not exactly," he admitted. "I'm working on it."

"Is that what you call it?"

Max shook his head and looked towards the ceiling.

"What you saw back there wasn't… I mean… we were just talking things out and next thing I know I'm kissing her and it's like we've never been apart, like the last two years didn't happen," he exhaled, looking Nathan in the eye. "I still love her and she still loves me and I'm trying my best to get through this with her because despite what she did, my life is not worth living without her in it."

Nathan just watched him thoughtfully during his outburst, but when Max had finished, he simply nodded.

"Okay."

"Okay? That's it?" exclaimed Max in surprise. "You're not going to tell me how I'd be stupid to take her back after she broke my heart and that I should have nothing to do with her ever again?"

"You and Liz… you're made for each other, you're soulmates," admitted Nathan. "Yes, she did break your heart, but it sounds like she had her reasons. You're my best friend, Max; I want you to be happy. You deserve it."

"Thanks, mate," nodded Max sincerely.

His friend just smiled and made his way towards the kitchen door, "So, how 'bout that mixed doubles game?"

_TBC_…


	28. Chapter 27

**Part Twenty-Seven**

_**Wednesday 4**__**th**__** July 2007**_

"Morning, David," chirped Liz with a happy smile, as she entered the practice courts the next morning.

"Morning, Liz. You sound rather chipper today," observed her coach from the side of the court, where he was organising paperwork, while simultaneously thumbing through his diary.

"Yeah," she grinned at him, placing her racket bag down on one of the benches. "I think things are finally starting to look up."

"You and Max?" he hazarded a guess.

She nodded, as she rifled through her things, "We talked yesterday and we're working things out."

"That's good to hear," agreed David. "Speaking of Max, you seen him yet this morning?"

"No, not yet," she shook her head. "Maybe he got stuck in traffic or somethi–"

A sudden murmur of voices near the entrance to the practice courts caught her ear and she turned to see what was going on. There was a crowd of young, giggling girls, most of them clutching a pen and paper in their hands, as they struggled to catch a glimpse of whoever was trying to make their way into the practice court area. She didn't have to guess who it was for long, though, as a familiar dark head became just visible in the throng of people.

Liz watched as Max tried his best to manoeuvre himself through the crowd, without seeming impatient or rude. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and she rolled her eyes as she saw him put on his best grin for the young teenagers and flirted with them playfully. No matter how serious and uncomfortable with attention he was normally, he definitely knew how to turn it out for his fans.

At one time they would both have been stopped, Liz getting attention from her male fans, while Max fended off the female interest; but now things were different. Contrary to just a few years ago, Max was the bigger star now – the number one male player in the world – and he got a great deal of attention these days. Liz, on the other hand, had been able to enjoy a relatively peaceful few weeks here in London. Her absence from the tennis world had caused her previous fans to move on to other players and for once the focus was no longer all on her.

Her gaze followed Max as he finished signing autographs and then made his way onto the courts. He looked up and caught her eye, a small, even tentative, smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, as if he wasn't quite sure whether to remain stoic or just smile fully at her.

"Hi," he greeted softly, once he'd reached her side and had placed his bag next to hers on the bench.

"Morning," replied Liz, suddenly feeling a little uncertain around him, as he concentrated on pulling his racket and a tube of tennis balls out of his large training bag.

"Hey, David," he acknowledged their doubles coach, who was flicking through a folder of paperwork.

"Morning, Max," David nodded as he closed the folder and put it aside, before clapping his hands together abruptly. "Okay, right, we don't have that much time for practice this morning, since Max is due on court at 12 for his quarter-final match, so let's get started, shall we?"

The practice session got off to a good start, but it wasn't long before Liz began to tire. Not wishing to worry either David or Max, she tried to ignore the fact that her head felt light and her hands had begun to shake slightly. She was determined, now more than ever, that this illness would not get the better of her, so she continued to play, even when she started missing the easy shots and her legs decided not to cooperate with her, causing the odd stumble. In fact, it was only when Max called for a break as he marched over to her, took her by the elbow and led her to the bench that she stopped.

"Hey!" she protested as he placed his hands on her shoulders and made her sit down, before kneeling in front of her and forcing her to look at him.

"Don't 'hey' me," he scolded firmly. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm practicing for our match this afternoon," she replied shortly. "Why, what are you doing?"

He shook his head, "Liz, you're overdoing it. I was watching you out there, you're fumbling." He sighed, "You need to stop pushing yourself so hard."

Liz set her jaw as she raised her eyes upwards, shaking her head in denial, "I'm just fine, Max."

He scoffed, "No, you're not. Anyone can see that."

Liz shot him a hurt look, as if to say, 'what do you know?'

"Look, Liz," said Max, more softly this time, as his hands came up to rest above her knees. "I know you want to show everyone that you can still do this, but if you're not careful, you're just gonna end up in hospital again. You've gotta take things slower."

As he spoke, Liz found her eyes wandering down to her lap, as frustrated tears began to form in the corner of her eye. He was right, she knew that, but she couldn't let the rest of the world discover that she wasn't 100% healthy; she just couldn't.

"Liz?" wondered Max, as he slid a finger beneath her chin and tilted her head up to face him. "Hey, come on, don't cry."

"What was I thinking?" wondered Liz helplessly. "I should have known I'd never be able to play as well I used to."

"Hey," murmured Max softly, "It's not like you can't play tennis at all. You're still pretty good, you know? But maybe you just rushed back into things too fast and your body's not handling it that well."

"Yeah, maybe…."

"Look, we're gonna get back up and practice some more and then this afternoon you and I are gonna get out there on court and do the best we can. All you have to do is play within your ability, okay? That's all you can do," he told her reassuringly.

"Yeah…" nodded Liz, feeling a little more confident now. "Okay. Play my best… right."

"There we go," Max smiled, as he stood up and held a hand out to her. "Come on, you can do it."

With a grateful smile, Liz slid her hand into his and allowed him to lead her back onto the court. They might have a long way to go in their relationship, but at least they could work together again now.

* * *

Liz watched from the VIP box as Max warmed up on Centre Court for his Quarter-final match. She couldn't help but admit that he looked great out there in his Nike-sponsored white tennis shirt and shorts combo. She was so proud of him, of the fact that he'd finally made it to the top… something he'd been dreaming about since he was five years old.

As the first set began and Max got off to a great start, Liz realised that despite everything that had happened over the last two years and even though her concerns and worries from that morning were still plaguing her, she was glad she'd come back home. Now that the truth was out and they were on good terms again, Liz found herself wondering why exactly she'd stayed away from him for so long. Why had she ever believed that she couldn't confide in him, that he wouldn't have understood her reasons for wanting children so early. Of course he would have supported her; that was just who he was, she always known that, but back then, she had been so blinded by her illness and fear of the future that she had forgotten that.

The match progressed and Liz lost herself in the game, the fluidity of Max's strong forehand shots, and the gracefulness with which he covered the length and width of the court, causing a peaceful feeling to settle over her. It was a fairly effortless win for Max, as he beat the younger, less experienced player in three sets and the ease with which he hit the winning shots allowed Liz to relax and lessen her worry over their doubles match later in the day.

When Max came off court after signing a few autographs and chatting with the crowd, Liz made sure she was waiting inside the players' section for him. She gave him a congratulatory hug and praised him for making it to the semi-final, commenting that it was a long time coming and that perhaps this would be the year he finally became Wimbledon Champion.

As they prepared to go on court for their mixed match two hours later, Liz vowed two things: one, that she would take Max's advice and not over-exert herself, and two that over the next few days and weeks, she would do everything in her power to show Max how truly sorry she was and to make it up to him.

_TBC_…


	29. Chapter 28

**Part Twenty-Eight**

_**Wednesday 4**__**th**__** July 2007**_

As their doubles match began and Liz took the first serve, she found herself feeling more relaxed and at ease with the game than she had in a long time. She took every shot in her stride, trying desperately hard not to put so much effort into playing that she fumbled; and whenever her eyes met Max's between points, a wonderful feeling of calm flowed through her entire body. She was finally coming to terms with her illness, instead of letting it rule her every move.

When Max took her hand and squeezed it encouragingly as they took their seats for the quick rest between games, she felt warm tingles spread all the way up her arm and her heart clenched. Max Evans really was made to be her other half; he balanced her energy and made her feel strong and whole and honestly, she had no clue anymore why she'd thought running away from her problems was a good idea. Right this moment, more than ever, she wished she had just been honest from the start. Perhaps then she could have spared both of them from a world of heartache and misery and anger.

"You okay?" asked Max gently, sliding his hand out of hers so he could pick up his drinks bottle and take a few gulps of water from it.

Liz nodded, her eyes roaming the crowded stadium.

"Yeah."

"You're not getting tired or feeling faint or anything?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "I'm fine."

She could feel his gaze on her, his eyes boring a hole in the side of her head. She turned to look at him, noting the concern in his expression.

"You sure?" he asked seriously. "You look sorta… distracted."

Liz smiled, shaking her head again, "No, I'm good, Max. Honestly."

"Okay," he murmured hesitantly, as if he wasn't sure she was telling the truth, "but if you start feeling dizzy or weak, or anything at all, you tell me okay? I'm not having you risk your health for the sake of a match."

"Okay," she agreed with a nod this time, as her eyes met his fully. They shared a soft, almost tentative smile, as if it was strange that they were actually getting along and supporting each other again.

"Time," called the umpire a moment later, snapping Liz out of their staring match.

Beside her, Max sighed softly, before reaching for his racket again and rising from his seat. Liz quickly followed and they headed back out onto court for the next game.

* * *

Despite his best efforts to concentrate on his own game, more than once during the opening set, Max's attention drifted to Liz and how she was holding up. It was weird because he still felt a teensy bit betrayed by her actions back in 2005, yet he couldn't stop himself from worrying about her and wanting to just take her into his arms and comfort her and shield her from pain. Right this moment, and also this morning when he'd seen her struggling to keep up in their practice session, he couldn't prevent a rush of admiration for her strength and her determination from flooding through his being. And funnily enough, that rush of admiration was also accompanied by a wave of… love for her.

Yes, that's right. Love. As much has he tried not to admit it over the last two years, he still loved her with all his heart and although most of his friends and family would call him crazy, he wanted to be with her. Of course, in reality he knew he shouldn't give in that easily. As much as he wanted to, forgiving her just like that wouldn't be right. It would give the impression that she could do anything and he would simply accept her apology and allow her to walk all over him. No, she had to earn his forgiveness. She had to prove to him that she wouldn't just run off without an explanation the next time something bad happened. She had to learn and accept that no matter what happened, she needed talk to him about it, she needed to confide in him and be honest with him; otherwise their relationship would never survive.

The first set came to a close, with Max and Liz winning in a fairly easy and comfortable six games to three and the crowd erupted into wild cheers, the overwhelming support for England's most popular tennis team evident around the stadium. Max couldn't prevent a grin from appearing on his lips as the fans began to chant their support for them and he glanced at Liz, suddenly very proud of how well she was holding up out on court today. Obviously the audience hadn't noticed anything significantly wrong with her performance over the last few days, which was exactly what she had been hoping for.

However, if he was honest, Max was a little concerned by the fact that she was so reluctant to admit the truth to the public. He knew she was worried that she would receive extra attention from both the press and the tennis associations and that they would question her ability to continue playing, but he wondered if perhaps she was doing more harm than good by not coming clean right away. Ultimately, though, it was her decision and all he could do right now was respect it.

The umpire called time again and the crowd cheered and clapped again as he and Liz made their way onto the court for the second set. Although they got off to a relatively good start and won the first two games, as the third game began Max noticed that

Liz was having trouble returning the ball. He frowned as he tried to figure out what was wrong. Liz didn't seem shaky or unsteady on her feet, nor did she appear to be losing concentration, yet somehow their opponents were managing to get all their shots in, even the ones that he and Liz would normally return easily. A couple of minutes later though, he shook his head, dismissing his worries. He'd been so caught up in making sure Liz was all right that he hadn't noticed that the opposition had upped their game, suddenly playing much better than they had in the last set and despite his and Liz's best efforts, it appeared that their opponents could do no wrong and just twenty short minutes later, it was one set all.

"This is not going well," muttered Liz as they took their seats beside the umpire's seat once more. She nodded towards the other players, "They're really good, Max."

"They are, but we can beat them, I know it," stated Max determinedly. "We just have to play the best we can and not fuck up out there."

Liz turned to him, her expression a mixture of surprise and amusement, "Fuck up? That's a bit strong, even for you, Max."

"Yeah, well," he shrugged with a hint of a smile, "I figure we need a strong, determined outlook for this final set."

"Okay," Liz raised an eyebrow, nodding as she took a sip from her water bottle.

Max watched her for a moment, taking in the way she pushed the loose strands of hair that had escaped from her ponytail back from her forehead as she placed the bottle on the floor and reached for her racket, inspecting the strings carefully.

"You're playing well this afternoon," he observed.

"Yeah," she nodded, her eyes still trained on the racket strings as she checked for signs of weakness in them. "I feel better now than I did this morning."

Max opened his mouth to say something else, but just as he did, the umpire called 'Time'. Instead, he picked up his racket again and he and Liz prepared to go back out on court.

* * *

The final set was tough with their opponents matching them game for game. By the time they reached four games all, Liz was feeling rather exhausted and was struggling to keep her energy up. She and Max had been playing their hearts out in this set for over an hour, yet it felt like they were getting nowhere. After more than two hours of play, they were still even at one set all, four games all.

The next game went much better as neither she nor Max missed a shot and they easily broke serve to win the next point and therefore the game after reaching 40-0. However, when Max served for the match in the next game, things got tricky. They struggled to keep ahead, yet each time they won a point and got the upper hand, the opposition would come right back and even the score. As what would hopefully be the final game of the match progressed, Liz found herself becoming more and more frustrated. Why couldn't this last game be simple like the one before? Why did their opponents have to choose now to put up a fight again?

The score reached Deuce with neither side backing down and Liz fought the urge to close her eyes in defeat as Max served once more. However, instead of hitting a shot that was easy to return, he put a great deal of power into the serve and hit an Ace right down the centre line.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, making a fist and bringing it close into her side, before turning to Max and giving him a high-five.

"One more point and we're in the quarter-final tomorrow," he grinned, leaning in closer to her briefly as their hands met. "Let's do this!"

Liz nodded her agreement and took her position at the front of the court. She sucked in a steadying breath, releasing it slowly as Max bounced the ball behind her, preparing for his serve. He hit another powerful shot, but this time their female opponent returned it easily, setting up a steady rally that continued for several strokes, until the ball just caught the edge of Max's racket, ricocheting off the frame and landing outside the side line.

"Fuck it!" Liz heard Max hiss in annoyance as the umpire called 'Deuce' once more.

"Hey," she murmured, placing her hand on his arm. "Calm down, okay? We can still win this thing."

Max sighed in reluctant agreement, before returning to his position on court to serve the next shot. He tried for an ace again, but unfortunately it didn't go wide enough and was returned. However, Liz was quick to volley the ball back, keeping it in play. Max moved forward as the ball was returned to his side of the court, bouncing just a couple of feet from the net. He practically dived for it, just lifting it enough to drop over the net and out of reach of their opponent. They were back to Advantage. They had a second match point.

This time, however, Max didn't hold back and he hit a brilliant serve, sending the ball flying right past the female player as it landed in the back corner of the service box.

"Yes!" cried Liz, jumping into the air with joy. God bless Max and his ability to hit a perfect ace.

"Liz, we won!" exclaimed Max, as he enfolded her in his arms, lifting her in the air in victory. "We did it," he grinned as he lowered her to the floor once more and looked down into her flushed face.

Liz was startled when he impulsively cupped his hand round the back of her neck and drew her mouth to his for a quick celebratory kiss. Even after he'd released her and headed for his chair, Liz remained where she was, a soft smile gracing her lips. Tonight, she decided, was going to be the night she started making things up to Max in a big way.

* * *

_**Thursday 5**__**th**__** July 2007 – The Next Morning**_

"Ugh," groaned Max sleepily, as he rolled over… and promptly found himself face down on the carpeted floor.

"Morning," came an amused voice from across the room. "Sleep well?"

Max lifted his head, supporting his weight on his hands as he first rose to his knees, and then to his feet, discarding the quilt she'd lent him onto the sofa.

"Not bad," he shrugged, glancing at the couch he'd spent the night on, "you have a comfy sofa."

"I know," smiled Liz, her gaze sweeping over his body, "that's why I chose it. Look, why don't you get dressed and I'll go and make some tea."

Max nodded, glancing down at the simple cotton boxers and white socks he was currently wearing.

"Sure," he nodded, as Liz headed into her kitchen, pulling the door partway shut behind her.

Max let out the breath he hadn't realised he was holding and reached for his jeans. This was kind of weird… being in Liz's new flat, spending the night here, sleeping on her couch. It was strange, to say the least. But at the same time, a small smile tugged at his lips as he recalled the events of the evening before.

After the match last night, the atmosphere between he and Liz had been pretty comfortable, although he had to admit that he was a little surprised when Liz had decided to forego her hotel room for the night and instead invited him to dinner at her flat. He'd been apprehensive at first and was unsure as to whether he ought to accept the offer, but her hopeful expression had swayed him and he'd agreed.

However, when they arrived at her flat, he quickly realised that Liz hadn't meant dinner in the classical, 'I'm going to cook for you' sense. Of course, since she had been living in hotel accommodation for the past couple of weeks, there was no food in the kitchen. So in fact, what he had initially assumed would be a somewhat awkward affair, quickly became a relaxed evening as he and Liz talked over delivered pizza and glasses of Coke.

But that wasn't what stood out most for him last night. No, the thing that had both amazed and touched him was the fact that partway through the evening, Liz had told him that she would do anything to stop his hurt and to make things up to him and then she'd handed him a shoebox containing the journal she'd kept over the last few years, detailing all of her thoughts and feelings, a pile of unsent letters she'd written to him but had never plucked up the courage to send and a collection of photographs and mementos of their time together as a couple.

They'd sat together in front of the sofa, surrounded by half-empty pizza boxes, as Liz had explained the origin of all the letters and had encouraged him to read her journal, and four hours later, Max realised that his negative feelings towards Liz were slowly dissipating, giving way almost completely to the renewed feelings of love and wonder that he'd been experiencing occasionally over the last few days He was finding it harder and harder to keep his distance from her and after reading one particular journal entry detailing one of Liz's worst relapses, he couldn't help but lift his hand to her face and trace her soft cheek with his fingers as he leaned in to press a tender, forgiving kiss to her lips.

When the moment had passed, he had wound his arm around her shoulders, allowing her to rest her head against his chest as he leaned back against the couch and lifted his gaze to the white ceiling. They sat together like that for several minutes until Liz began to yawn and Max realised the time: it was after midnight and they had to play their quarterfinal doubles match that afternoon. He gently eased her into an upright position and announced that he ought to get going and let her get some rest. However, she wouldn't hear of him driving home in the early hours of the morning and instead insisted that he take the sofa. Which was how he'd ended up in Liz's flat this morning in nothing but boxers and socks.

Max rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, as he reached for his T-shirt with the other. However, before he could pull it over his head, Liz appeared back in the room, a steaming mug of tea in each hand. She placed both mugs down on the small table next to the sofa, as her gaze took in his appearance. Her eyes roamed his bare chest, before rising to his face. Their eyes met and as if on cue, they drifted towards each other. When they were just a few inches apart, Max lowered his head at the same time that Liz lifted hers and their lips met in a passionate kiss.

_TBC_…


	30. Chapter 29

**Part Twenty-Nine**

_**Thursday 5**__**th**__** July 2007**_

Liz slid her arms around Max's neck, burying her fingers in his short hair as he deepened the kiss. Their tongues met, tangling urgently as Liz felt Max's hands grip her waist, pulling her flush against him. The feel of his hands splayed flat across her back, his fingertips gently moving against the material of her top, sent shivers shooting up and down her spine. Despite the intensity and passion of the moment, she couldn't prevent the tears that sprung to her eyes at the relief of finally being in his arms again. For the first time since before the doctor had broken the news about her illness, she felt complete.

"Max," she murmured, withdrawing her mouth from his for a moment to catch her breath.

She kissed his lips briefly once, twice, before opening her mouth to him once more, letting him invade her senses entirely. This was where she belonged, in Max Evans' embrace… how could she have ever felt differently, she wondered. How could she have thought that either of them would be better off alone, without each other? As they continued to kiss, her senses became overwhelmed with emotion and she felt a tightening in her chest. The feeling was so strong that she couldn't hold it in any longer and suddenly an unexpected sob tore from her throat. She tightened her grip around Max's neck, pressing her loosely clothed body against his jean-clad lower-half and bare torso.

"Liz?" murmured Max, breaking the kiss so he could look down at her in concern. He slid his hands up and down her back comfortingly. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, burying it in the crook of his neck as she clung to him, breathing heavily as she tried to get herself under control.

"Liz?" wondered Max, his tone soft. Liz could feel his warm breath against her shoulder. "You okay?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her fingers digging into the bare skin of his upper back. "I didn't mean…" she pulled back so she could look into his eyes. "I love you so much, Max. You make me whole; and I don't ever want to not be whole again."

"You make me whole too," he replied softly, gently running his fingers through the long strands of her hair. "Having you back in my life again has made me realise just how stupid I was to ever think that I could move on without you."

Liz gazed up at him, her eyes searching his for a moment before she impulsively leaned up and captured his lips with hers once more. This time, their kisses were more meaningful, more intense than just now and before she had time to digest what was happening, Max had begun walking her backwards toward her bedroom.

They fell to the bed, Max trapping her small body beneath his much larger one, as one of his hands slid down her side until it reached the hem of her top. He dipped his fingers beneath the material, tracing small patterns against her skin, causing Liz to shiver. She let out a small moan against his lips as his fingers rose, walking their way up over her stomach and just brushing the underside of her bra-clad breast before cupping her in his palm, squeezing gently and causing a small gasp to escape her lips. Their embrace continued to heat up, as Max shifted so he could get more comfortable, but for Liz, the moment he settled between her legs and she felt the evidence of his arousal pressing against her, she came crashing down to earth.

"Max, wait," she muttered, tearing her lips from his and releasing her arms so she could push him away slightly.

"What?" he mumbled, as he opened his eyes and tried to focus. "What's wrong?"

"We should stop," she whispered, "it's too soon."

Ho looked down at her for a moment, as if trying to read her thoughts, before letting out a slight sigh.

"You're right," he said regrettably, "I'm sorry."

He shifted off her and sat up, swinging his legs over the side of her bed. Liz sat up too, moving so she could rest her chin on his bare shoulder and cup his upper arm with her hand. They sat together in silence for several moments, Max looking down at his hands as she stared at the wall, until Liz plucked up the courage to voice her thoughts.

"Where are we, Max?" she wondered in a soft sigh.

"Hmm?" he lifted his head, turning to glance at her over his shoulder.

"I mean, what are we doing here? We've talked, we've kissed, I've told you I love you and you've said you still love me… so where does that leave us?"

"Liz…" Max started, shifting round to face her properly. "It's hard for me, you know, to put a label on what we are right now. Of course, I want you – I want to be with you, but to come right out and say 'we're back together'… it'd be like we're trivialising the situation, like everything we've been through is forgotten just like that. I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet."

Liz frowned, feeling a lump form in her throat. She'd thought he understood and that he'd forgiven her for leaving.

"But–"

Max cut her off, "I know what you're thinking, Liz, but that's not what I meant. I want to be in a relationship with you again, I really do, but I don't think we're quite 'there' yet. Maybe for now we'd be better off just to take things as they come and see what happens."

"Okay," Liz nodded in understanding, as the meaning of his words sunk in. He wasn't saying that he didn't want her; he was saying that he wasn't ready to formally announce the state of their relationship just yet. She exhaled, "Okay."

Max's lips curled up into a small smile and he reached out to touch her arm, letting his fingers rest gently on her elbow.

"Look, I think I'd better go now, leave you to finish getting ready for the day and for our match this afternoon."

Liz nodded, a wave of disappointment flowing through her as he broke their physical contact and stood up. She moved to get up as well, following him back out to the living room, watching as he reached for his T-shirt and pulled it over his head. She stood in the bedroom doorway, her arms crossed over her chest as she watched him put on his shoes and gather the rest of his belongings. When he was done, she followed him down the hallway to the front door.

"I'll see you later, okay?" he said, "Twelve o'clock at the practice courts?"

"Twelve o'clock," Liz nodded in agreement. "I'll see you there."

Max reached for the door handle, but his hand froze as his eyes locked with hers. There was an awkward hesitation between them for moment, until Max sucked in a breath and leaned in to capture her lips with his in a brief, but meaningful kiss.

"Bye," he smiled gently when they parted a few seconds later.

"Bye," replied Liz dazedly, her lips tingling from the contact, as Max opened the door and slipped out of her flat.

When he was gone, Liz leaned against the door and let out a sigh, a soft smile gracing her features. Perhaps things with Max were finally looking up after all.

* * *

As Max arrived home and entered his flat, picking up the morning newspaper from the floor, his attention was caught by the large headline on the back page:

"EVANS AND PARKER CELEBRATE WIN WITH KISS – Is there something they're not telling us?"

Max rolled his eyes in annoyance as the article went on to speculate the state of their relationship, barely touching on the outcome of the match itself.

"Typical," he muttered, walking towards his bedroom and discarding the paper onto the sofa as he went.

As he took a shower and got ready to head back to Wimbledon, he realised that he'd made the right decision at Liz's flat earlier – now was not a good time to rekindle their past relationship, especially with the press hanging around 24/7 at the moment, just waiting for a story. Not to mention the fact that they would be rushing things… and rushing was never a good idea, especially when it came to relationships. Nevertheless, as he pulled into a parking space at the Club and grabbed his racket bag, he couldn't help his thoughts from returning to the events of last night and this morning, distracting him.

Things got even worse when Liz showed up on the practice courts a while later, sending him a shy, yet alluring smile and he almost lost his concentration completely. God, what was wrong with him? Just a couple of days ago he was having trouble even talking to her and now she was driving him to distraction with just one look. On second thoughts, maybe he shouldn't have left her flat this morning… perhaps if they'd gone all the way, the sexual tension wouldn't be driving him crazy now. No, wait, that wasn't right. It was a good thing that she'd stopped them from going any further. Of course it was. Right?

He spent the next couple of hours trying to get his head in the game and put the state of his private life to the back of his mind for now. He was doing pretty well, although there were a couple of slips when their match began and he couldn't help his gaze from lingering on Liz, crouched low at the front of the court, her short tennis skirt riding up on her thighs exposing the back of her smooth bare legs to his eyes. Each time it happened he had to stifle a groan and force himself to focus on the ball rather than her.

Unfortunately, his inability to concentrate was the least of their problems during the match – their opponents were the defending mixed doubles champions and although Max was evenly matched with their male side, the female was a much stronger player than Liz, giving them an advantage. While they managed to put up a decent fight at first, bringing the first set to a tiebreak, which they won, unfortunately, things went downhill after that. Liz began to tire, while their opponents only seemed to get stronger, easily winning the second set, 6-2 and then going on to win the first three games of the third.

Despite playing the best they could and winning two more games, the reigning champions were just too strong for Max and Liz and their opponents had an easy ride to 5-2 in the final set. Although they had the advantage of serving in the next game, any hopes that Max and Liz had of regaining their impetus were dashed when first Max double-faulted and then they lost the next two points, providing the opposition with 3 match points. Liz managed to win back one of those points, but their luck ended when the male player broke Max's serve sending the defending champions right through to the semi final.

As realisation set in that their 2007 mixed doubles experience had come to an end, Max tried his best to appear happy for the winners and put on a brave face for Liz, but internally he was extremely disappointed. But the unusual thing was that his disappointment had very little to do with the fact that they'd lost the match. No, in fact, it was the thought that he would no longer be working with, training with or playing with Liz that hit him hardest. Sure, it had been a long and difficult few weeks, seeing Liz again, adjusting to her presence on court and in his life, finding out the truth and dealing with that, but now it didn't seem fair that just as he'd accepted that he still loved her and wanted her, their partnership on court had come to an end.

Apart from giving Liz a brief kiss, a consoling hug and whispering a few words of comfort and reassurance in her ear, Max decided against saying anything else to her until they returned to the changing rooms. He didn't want to draw any more attention to either of them than was absolutely necessary. However, the second they were inside, away from prying eyes and Liz turned to him with unshed tears in her eyes, he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"I'm a failure, Max," she sobbed against his white T-shirt, finally letting her frustration out. "I'm not good enough."

"Hey, hey, hey," Max soothed gently, one hand cupping the back of her head, his fingers playing with the strands of her ponytail. "You're not a failure, Liz. It's not your fault, okay? They were just too strong for us – after all they're the best mixed team in the world right now."

"I know, I know," she sniffled, her words muffled against his shirt. Max pulled away a little, lifting her chin so she was looking up at him. "I just really wanted to win; to prove everyone wrong when they said I wasn't fit enough to play."

"You're played some great tennis these last couple of weeks, Liz," Max told her gently, his heart tugging at her forlorn expression. "I'm really proud of you."

"Thank you," she whispered, tightening her grip on his back slightly.

"It's the truth," he admitted.

She gazed up at him and Max began to lose himself in her expressive eyes. With a small hint of a smile, he lowered his head, brushing her lips with his in a brief caress before deepening the kiss, pouring all his emotions into it.

"Come on," he murmured as they pulled apart several moments later. "Let's go somewhere. I'd say we're both in need of some cheering up. What do you think?"

He released her, taking a couple of steps back and holding out his hand for her to take. She took it, smiling up at him gratefully.

"I think I'd like that very much."

_TBC_…


	31. Chapter 30

**Part Thirty**

_**Friday 6**__**th**__** July 2007**_

"Great," muttered Liz as she parked outside the All England Club and got out of the car. "Just great."

Reporters and members of the paparazzi surrounded the players' entrance to the club, and judging by the headlines in the sports section of the newspaper this morning, they were most likely waiting for either her or Max to show up. Adjusting her small handbag on her shoulders, she held her head high and began walking towards the crowd.

It had been such a disappointment to wake up in her flat this morning after a wonderful evening with Max last night, only to find their faces splashed all over the newspapers and their quarter-final match being talked about on the TV. The stories had varied from further speculation over their relationship and the possibility that they were having a torrid affair that had distracted them from the game, to suggestions that Liz's collapse earlier in the week and apparent lack of strength because of it had something to do with their loss.

Steeling herself against the attack of the reporters, Liz marched through the throng of people, trying her best to ignore their intrusive questions and throwing out the occasional 'no comment' as she passed them and then disappeared through the door. She didn't want to deal with any more questions right now. It had been bad enough after the match yesterday when she and Max had had to give a live interview with the BBC before they'd been able to leave the stadium; and she just wasn't up to another interrogation. In fact, the only reason she was even here today was to support Max in his semi-final match this afternoon.

She smiled as she thought of Max and the time they'd spent together last night. He'd been wonderful, trying his best to cheer her up and reassure her that she was in no way to blame for the outcome of the match. First he'd made sure that they met up with their parents, who had been watching the match from the VIP box, then he'd stolen her away and had taken her out for a delicious, romantic meal at one of her favourite restaurants, and finally he'd invited her back to his flat, where they'd relaxed on his sofa with a bottle of wine and a movie. They hadn't done much more than kiss and snuggle up together on the couch, yet Liz couldn't help the tingle that ran down her spine at the memory of the evening.

At the end of the night, when the movie was over, there had been a slightly awkward moment, in which she hadn't been sure whether Max was expecting her to stay with him or if she should go back home. Her hesitance was partly due to the wine she'd consumed; Max had only had one glass, since he had a match to play the next day, so she'd ended up drinking more than him. However, Max quickly and gently eased the tension by reminding her that he needed a good night's sleep in preparation for his match and offering to call her a cab home. Liz had given him a soft smile, thanking him for a wonderful evening and then promising that she would come and watch him play tomorrow. While they waited for the cab to arrive, he'd taken her in his arms and pressed gentle kisses to her lips, face and neck, before smiling down at her tenderly and telling her how happy he was to have her back in his life again, despite their past problems and bad decisions over the last two years.

She'd gone back home to her apartment – she'd had to check out of the hotel due to the fact that she was no longer an active player in the tournament – with a smile on her face. For the first time in a very long time, her life was actually making sense again; and now, as she entered the Centre Court stadium and took her seat in the VIP box, just in front of Max's family and next to Todd, his coach. While she waited for Max to arrive on court, she spoke with Diane and Philip, enquiring after their health and Max's sister Isabel, who was currently at school (supposedly), before engaging Todd in conversation about the strengths and weaknesses of Max's opponent today – the number four player in the world – and the tactics Max would need to use today in order to beat him.

When Max and his opponent finally appeared, she couldn't help the grin that broke out on her face as she clapped and cheered his arrival along with everyone else. She watched the fluid movements of his strong body as he pulled out his racket and headed out onto the court to warm up. He bounced a tennis ball on the ground a couple of times and when he looked up in preparation to take a shot, his gaze caught hers and their eyes locked. Max smiled indulgently at her and mouthed a quick 'hi', before turning his attention back to the ball. A warm feeling spreading through her body, Liz relaxed back against her seat and proceeded to watch the match with a smile on her face.

* * *

Max was playing the match of his life out on Centre Court – it seemed that nothing could go wrong for him today, as he hit shot after perfect shot, winning point after brilliant point. Despite the rough start he and Liz had gotten off to the other week and the problems they'd dealt with, it seemed that this might just be his year after all. The match went so well, in fact that it was over in three short sets, with Max winning 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 and securing himself a place in the final on Sunday.

He felt an almost overwhelming sense of elation as the crowd leapt to their feet, clapping and cheering wildly as he won the match. He jumped into the air, punching it with his fist before conforming to one of the rituals of male players by tugging his shirt over his head and tossing it into the crowd. As screams sounded from the group of girls who caught the shirt, Max shifted his gazes towards the VIP box and after nodding to his parents, his eyes locked with hers.

Liz was grinning widely at him as she joined in the applause, her eyes sparkling with happiness and pride. Max grinned back and then punched the air again, making her laugh, but her expression quickly froze as he saw her gaze drift lower than his face and linger on his chest. Shit, he thought, as he glanced down, he was still shirtless. With a sheepish smile, he sent her a silent apology, before breaking their gaze and walking over to his chair to grab a clean shirt. He pulled it on and then, realising that his opponent had long ago left the court, he gathered up his things, sent Liz one last smile and headed off the court, pausing briefly to sign autographs for the fans before he had to give the BBC a short post-match interview.

After the interview, he made his way into the changing rooms, where he took a shower, changed into a pair of jeans and a collared T-shirt and then headed over to the clubhouse where he knew his family and friends…and hopefully, Liz… would be waiting. He tried his best to keep a low profile from the paparazzi as he walked over to the other building, which seemed to work, but he wasn't as successful in avoiding the fans and was stopped for autographs and pictures several times on the way. As he signed a Wimbledon programme for two giggling teenagers and posed for a photo with them, his gaze wandered up to the window of the VIP lounge opposite, where he knew everyone was waiting for him, and he recognised a familiar face looking down at him.

It was Liz, with a smile on her face. He smiled back and she waved, signalling for him to come upstairs. He gave a small nod, careful not to draw attention to their exchange, and an apologetic shrug, before turning back to the teenagers in front of him. He handed back the programme he'd signed for them and wished them all the best before disentangling himself from the small crowd and heading inside the clubhouse. Once upstairs, a chorus of 'congratulations' and 'well done' greeted him, as first his mum, then his dad gave him a hug, followed by Isabel and also Nathan, who had been watching the match on the big screen outside the court.

After they had all congratulated him, his family began to disperse, leaving Max standing alone with Liz, who had moved toward him from her spot by the window as he'd entered the room. His face broke out into a grin as he regarded her.

"Congratulations, Max!" she exclaimed excitedly, pulling him into a tight hug. His arms automatically came around her and he enfolded her in his embrace. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks," he murmured, releasing her and letting his hands cup her elbows as he looked down into her eyes. "Everything just went right today for me, I guess."

"You've made it, Max," she delighted, "you're in the Wimbledon final!"

"Yeah," he nodded, his expression one of awe. "I've wanted this for so long, I almost can't believe it's really happening."

Liz smirked, "You'd better believe it, mister. You totally deserve this."

"Max, my man," came a sudden interruption, causing Max to raise his head in surprise. Nathan patted Max on the back declaring, "I think it's time you got a drink in you, don't you?"

Max looked to Liz for her reaction, but she just shook her head, "Go ahead, Max. I'll talk to you again later."

Max sent her another smile as he allowed his best friend to drag him towards the bar.

He spent the next hour nursing a couple of beers and making small talk with his family and friends. He barely had a chance to speak to Liz again, until he finally caught up with her as the gathering was winding down.

"Hey," he murmured, drawing her attention away from the conversation she was involved in by gently taking hold of her upper arm and urging her to speak to him.

"Hey," she replied. "What's up?"

"Look, we're leaving now – my parents want to take Isabel and I out for dinner – but I was wondering if you wanted to do something with me tomorrow? I could use some downtime before the final on Sunday and I'd like to spend some more time with you."

"Oh, um, sure," she agreed softly, a smile gracing her pretty features. "That's sounds good."

"Great," grinned Max, pleased that she'd agreed so readily. "I'll pick you up in the morning, okay? How's ten o'clock?"

"Ten's good," she told him. "So… I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow," he confirmed with a soft smile, before finally acknowledging the fact that his mother was frantically waving at him to join them and turning towards the door. For a moment, he debated whether to kiss her goodbye, but he was fully aware of all the eyes in the room, most of which were currently focused on him and so he decided against it. "Bye."

"Bye, Max."

_TBC_…


	32. Chapter 31

**Part Thirty-One**

_**Saturday 7**__**th**__** July 2007**_

Liz smiled to herself as she opened the front door of her flat at five minutes past ten the next morning. For the first time in a long time, she actually felt like something was going right in her life. Despite having to pull out of the singles tournament last week and losing in the quarter-final of the mixed on Thursday, she couldn't help but feel happy; Max was here and they were going to spend the day together… just like old times.

"Hi," she chirped, as she opened the door to reveal Max on the other side, looking very handsome in faded designer jeans and a Ben Sherman polo shirt. His dark hair haphazardly framed his perfect, chiselled features and his demeanour was casual; his hands shoved in the back pockets of his expensive jeans.

"Hey," he murmured with a laidback grin. "Sorry I'm late."

"Only by five minutes," she pointed out. "It's not that late in the grand scheme of things.

"Still," he shrugged apologetically, before adding, "So you ready to go?"

"Sure," she nodded, "just let me grab my purse."

She left Max standing in the doorway for a moment while she picked up her bag and tugged on a jacket and then they made their way downstairs to Max's car.

"So, where are we going?" wondered Liz, fastening her seatbelt before turning her head to the right to face Max in the driver's seat.

"It's a surprise," he grinned. "You'll just have to wait and see."

"Aww, come on," she pouted, "can't you give me a hint?"

"Nope, sorry," he shook his head, as he started the engine, moved the gear stick into first gear and pulled out into the road.

"Spoilsport," she grumbled, crossing her arms in mock annoyance and turning to look out of the window.

Beside her, Max just chuckled as he manoeuvred the car through the busy London streets toward their destination. It took Liz only a minute or two to drop the pretence of being annoyed and soon she and Max were making light-hearted small talk as they drove. In fact, Liz was so preoccupied with their conversation that she failed to notice they'd reached their destination until Max pulled into a parking space and turned off the engine.

"We're here," he announced suddenly.

Liz looked out of the window in surprise.

"Kew Gardens?" she wondered, her smile widening. "We're spending the day at Kew Gardens?"

"Yep," Max smiled smugly, as they got out of the car. "I know how much you love it here and I think we could do with some peace and quiet away from the media and the fans today."

"Max, are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Liz as she joined him in front of the car. "It's a Saturday in July – it's gonna be full of tourists. We're sure to get noticed here."

"Not necessarily," he quirked an eyebrow, "There are plenty of places we can get lost in, or don't you remember?"

Liz's eyes widened as she realised what he was referring to, "Oh, um, yeah… I remember…"

* * *

_**Friday August 20****th**** 2004**_

_"It's lovely here, isn't it?" sighed Liz as she and Max strolled hand-in-hand along the gravel paths of London's Kew Gardens._

_"Yeah, it is," smiled Max, squeezing her hand tighter in his for a moment. "And a perfect day for it too."_

_"Yeah," nodded Liz languidly. "This was a great idea of yours to spend the day here."_

_It was a beautiful summer's day in late August. Although England hadn't seen the best weather earlier in the month, for some reason it had decided to warm up considerably this week. Today there was barely a cloud in the sky and the temperature was a wonderful twenty-five degrees Celsius. The calm air was only marred by a slight warm breeze, which Liz found rather refreshing._

_"Well, you know," Max murmured airily with a shrug, "we all know that I have all the brains in this relationship."_

_Liz snorted, "Is that so?" She moved closer to his side, wrapping her free arm around his bicep, her other hand still firmly encased in his. She rose up on tiptoes until her mouth was close to his ear. "I beg to differ," she murmured, a sly grin on her face._

_"You do, huh?" he chuckled, "What're you gonna do to prove it?"_

_She smirked, leaning in to whisper, "Well, I thought maybe I'd –"_

_"Oh my God, it's Liz Parker and Max Evans!"_

_"Urgh," Liz groaned as she was interrupted from describing her plans by a group of fans that had apparently recognised them. She sighed against Max's neck before lowering her heels to the ground and turned to the fans with a smile._

_"Excuse me, Max, Liz," said one of them, a tall, wiry lady with styled blonde hair. "Could I trouble you for an autograph?"_

_"Sure," Max smiled, his tone smooth and pleasant. Liz released his arm as he reached for the pen and small scrap of paper the woman had obviously just found in her purse. "Here you go."_

_"Could I get one too?" piped up a young girl from behind the woman. "You're my favourite player, Liz."_

_"Of course," smiled Liz courteously as she scribbled her signature for the girl._

_They spent the next few minutes signing more autographs and making polite small talk with the group, but it wasn't long before they began to draw a crowd. Max quickly made an apology to the group around him and explained that they ought to be getting a move on, but unfortunately, as they walked, more and more people began recognising them._

_"Come on, this way," Max muttered, holding Liz's hand tightly as he pulled her into a section of trees._

_"Where are we going, Max?" she wondered as they manoeuvred themselves through the trees._

_"Somewhere quiet," he returned quickly. "Somewhere we won't get harassed by the public."_

_"Um, are you sure we're allowed back here?" she asked as they wove deeper into the vegetation. "Isn't the wildlife protected or something?"_

_"Who cares?" he shrugged with a grin. "Here," he announced suddenly, indicating the small clearing before them, "we can hide out here for a while."_

_"Are you sure we won't get in trouble for this, Max?"_

_"Well, I won't tell anyone if you don't." he winked. "Look, no one's around… we're completely alone."_

_"We are, aren't we?" smiled Liz taking a glance around. "What will we do to pass the time for a while?"_

_"Oh, I can think of a few things…" grinned Max suggestively._

_"Yeah?" murmured Liz as she moved closer to him._

_"Yeah," he replied, slipping his arms around her waist. "How's this?"_

_He lowered his head, capturing her lips in a soft, tender kiss._

_"This is good," breathed Liz, when their lips parted a few moments later. "In fact, it's more than good."_

_She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for another kiss…_

* * *

"So, shall we?" asked Max, bringing Liz out of her reverie.

"Sure," she smiled, slipping her hand into his offered one. "Let's go."

They crossed the car park and headed for the entrance. Max paid their entrance fees and the two of them headed into the gardens.

"Wow, it's even more beautiful here than I remembered," breathed Liz as they walked through the greenery.

They walked through the various plant-life attractions and houses in the North section of the Gardens, taking in the gorgeous scenery, until Max suggested they get some lunch. He took her for a delicious hot lunch in the White Peaks restaurant located near the edge of the Gardens.

"This is great, Max," Liz informed him as they ate their meal in a secluded corner of the restaurant. "Thank you for bringing me here today."

"Yeah, well," he shrugged, "I remembered that you loved the Gardens and I thought it might be nice to come here again."

"Good choice," she smiled. "Although I can't help but remember the last time we were here, when we had to escape from all the people."

"Yeah," grinned Max, "that was funny."

"Yeah," murmured Liz, her smile fading then as her mind returned to all that that happened between them… or not… since then.

"Hey, you okay?" asked Max a moment later.

"Yeah," she forced a half-hearted smile. "It's just…"

"It's just what?" he looked concerned.

"Max, do you think everything will work out okay?" she wondered.

"What do you mean," he asked in puzzlement.

"Well, I know we've been making progress the last few days, but we haven't really spoken about what's going to happen now – after the tournament is over," she struggled to put her feelings into words. "Are we here just because we've been partners in the tournaments and because you've made it to the final, or is this a more long term thing?"

"Liz, I–"

"What I mean is, are we going to see each other again after tomorrow? Or will we just go back to our own separate lives?"

Max sighed softly, "Liz, of course I want to see you again. While I'll admit that I'm not completely over everything that happened two years ago, I do know that I still want you in my life."

"Really?"

"Liz," Max reached across the table to take her hand in his. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me. I already lost you once, and at the time I thought it was forever, but now you're back, I don't want to lose you again."

Liz smiled shakily, tears threatening to fall at his heartfelt confession, "Me neither. I don't want to lose you again either, Max."

"Look," he said gently, "it's not going to be easy; you know we still have a lot to work through, but I'm willing to try again."

"Thank you, Max," she murmured, squeezing his hand with hers. "You know how sorry I am about what I did and I promise you that I won't let you down again. In fact, I'm gonna to everything I can to make it up to you."

Max simply smiled and they shared a meaningful look, before returning to their food.

_God_, Liz couldn't help thinking to herself as she snuck glances at Max throughout the meal and for the rest of the day, _I love this man so much that I will spend forever trying to make things right between us if I have to._

_TBC_…


	33. Chapter 32

**Part Thirty-Two**

_**July 8**__**th**__** 2007 – Men's Singles Final, Wimbledon 2007**_

'_Okay, you can do this; just take deep breaths and stay calm,'_ twenty-six-year-old Max Evans repeated to himself silently as he bounced the tennis ball on the ground once…twice…three times, preparing for the serve.

He closed his eyes in concentration as he geared up his body to begin the match. When he opened them, the first thing he saw was Liz Parker watching him from the side of the court. A small grin tugged at his lips as she sent him a smile of encouragement and gave a thumbs-up. He nodded in response, sucking in one final breath as he threw the ball in the air and brought his racket smashing down, thereby opening the match.

As he watched his opponent hit the ball back over the net, he lunged forward to return it, a burst of adrenaline shooting through him. He almost couldn't believe this was really happening; he'd made it to the Wimbledon final – something he'd been dreaming about since he was a small boy, watching the legendary Jeff Parker win his third consecutive Wimbledon title back in 1986.

The first rally of the match was well underway and Max was playing well. Every now and then, he'd glimpse her flowing dark hair and pensive gaze on him as he moved and a smile would slide across his face at the sight. Liz Parker, daughter of famous tennis player, Jeff Parker, was the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on and the woman who, after years of struggles and hurting, was actually back in his life again. And being honest, if it weren't for her, he wouldn't be standing here today, competing for the championship cup, with a 50:50 chance of actually winning it.

"Game, Evans."

Liz was definitely his good luck charm today, he decided, as the umpire called his name: he'd won the first game. He jogged back to his chair for a quick swig of water. His eyes flew to her once more as he picked up his racket again and made his way back onto the court. At one time, she had been everything to him: his best friend, his support, and his other half, and back then, he couldn't have imagined being without her. However, there had been obstacles in their way over the last few years, things that had kept them apart and now it amazed him that she was actually here supporting him today.

Right this moment, life was great, and if he could manage to stay on top and play his best today, in a couple of hours, his life could be perfect once again.

* * *

For the remainder of the set, the match continued as it had begun; Max's confidence soared with every point he scored and the crowd were going wild, their shouts of encouragement for him echoing around the Centre Court stadium between points. Max couldn't stop himself from glancing in Liz's direction every chance he got, that was until Todd, who was seated beside Liz, shot him an exasperated glare, which told him in no uncertain terms to focus on the game instead. The thing was though, Max realised, nodding to Todd in consent, Liz wasn't distracting him at all; far from it in fact. Just knowing that she was here, cheering him on, and that they were well on the way to sorting out their lives again, gave him more encouragement than he really needed.

As he headed back onto court to begin the second set, Max took a moment to stop and suck in a breath, taking in the atmosphere of Centre Court on Final day and the enormity of what this day meant to him. It was incredible: the weather was perfect, warm and sunny with barely a cloud in the sky, the stadium was full – almost 14,000 people – the majority of whom were here to cheer him on. A small smile tugged at his lips as a Mexican wave travelled around the court, and he saw Liz stand up and join in when the wave reached the section she was sitting in.

"Go on, Max!" shouted someone from the stands behind him, as he bounced the ball in front of him, preparing to serve for the first point of the second set. "You can do it!"

"Come on, Max!" called someone else from his right, blowing a whistle in encouragement.

More people piped up and their obvious support for him simply made him more determined to win this tournament; not just for him, but also for all of the British tennis fans who were holding out hope for another British Wimbledon champion. Jeff Parker had been the last Briton to win the tournament and that was almost twenty years ago.

"Quiet please," called the umpire, his tone slightly irritated as if he couldn't stand the thought of spectators making any noise at all during the match.

Max bounced the ball a couple more times for effect, before throwing it in the air and lifting his racket to serve. It travelled over the net and landed neatly in the serving box, whereby his opponent quickly returned it smoothly. The first few games were pretty evenly matched between them, both winning on their own serve, but neither managing to break the other's serve and the second set drew to a close with a tiebreaker, which eventually Max won eight-points-to-six.

In the break between the second and third sets, Max took a moment to observe his opponent, the twenty-four-year-old third seed from Australia. His name was Marcus Turner, currently ranked at number four in the world. Max had played against him a few times over the years and although he'd beaten him the last time they'd met, overall they were about neck-and-neck in terms of wins vs. losses. So while Max already had two sets under his belt in this final match, he knew that Marcus definitely had the ability to pull out all the stops.

The third set began and sure enough, Marcus began to up his game, his serves became more powerful, all his shots went in and he made only two unforced errors in the whole set. It wasn't that Max was making mistakes or playing any worse than he had in the previous two sets, but instead Marcus had the control and Max barely had a chance to take the lead. As a result, he lost the set 6-2.

In response, the crowd began to boo, shouting their disappointment and displeasure that he'd lost the set, but Max didn't let it faze him. Yes, this had been his dream for as long as he could remember, but ultimately it wouldn't be a complete life or death situation if he didn't win today. However, from the shouts of the crowd, you would think that the world was gonna end if Max Evans didn't win Wimbledon this afternoon.

As they went into the fourth set, he wasn't too worried about having lost the third; after all, he was still up two sets to one and could still win this thing. He began the set with a strong serve and the first game was in the bag. Everything was going like a perfectly and Max was on a roll at 4-0, until a particular moment in the fifth game, when for a heart-stopping few minutes, it looked like the Wimbledon dream could be over for Max Evans.

The game beginning as any other; Max served the ball, hitting a perfect ace and winning the first point, before continuing to win the next two, but the next point brought about a particularly long and frustrating rally in which neither player seemed to be able to get the upper hand. The crowd was tense as shot and after shot sailed over the net, with no sign of letting up. After fifteen strokes though, things got a little more interesting as Max hit a daring shot just over the net, causing Marcus to sprint to get it back over and out to the other corner. Max ran for the ball, scaling the width of the court, determined not to give away the point that would put him at 5-0 and only one game away from the Wimbledon title.

The crowd watched with bated breath, waiting to see if Max would make the shot. Max's heart was beating fast as he watched the ball sail through the air; he dived for it, his racket outstretched, as renewed sweat began to bead on his forehead. The ball connected with the tension-filled strings and bounced off again. But Max didn't see whether it went over the net or if it was in, for he tumbled to the floor, pain shooting up his left leg.

A collective gasp rang out around the stadium when he didn't get up. On the floor, Max bit his lip, his eyes closing, fighting tears as he clutched his ankle. No, this couldn't be happening; not now, when he was so close to achieving his life-long dream. He wasn't sure how long he lay there, his leg throbbing with pain, but it seemed an age before both Todd and his trainer appeared on court and helped him to his chair.

"What happened, Max?" asked Todd in concern.

"I don't know exactly," he murmured, wincing as John, his trainer, moved his ankle experimentally. "One minute I was running for the ball, the next I'm on the floor in pain. I guess I landed on it."

"You think you can keep going?"

"I'm not sure," sighed Max, frowning in pain as John began massaging his skin, assessing the damage.

"Well, nothing's broken," announced his trainer a moment later. "It just looks like a strain or maybe a sprain to me."

"Thank God," breathed Max. There was still a chance.

"I'm gonna strap it for you and then we'll go from there, okay?" said John.

"Sure."

Max leaned back against the chair as John worked his magic on his ankle. With nothing else he could do for now, Todd excused himself and headed back to his seat. Max watched as he took his seat next to Liz again, speaking to her in low tones. She nodded as her head turned in his direction and her worry-filled eyes met his. He gave her a small smile, letting her now that it really wasn't as bad as it looked.

"Okay, all done," John told him a few moments later. "Why don't you see if you can walk on it."

"Sure, thanks," replied Max as he stood up.

John had bandaged the ankle tightly for support, but still Max felt a twinge of pain as he put weight on it. He took a few steps, testing the support and as the pain began to dwindle, he tried out a slow jog.

"How does it feel?"

"Not bad," murmured Max. "I might need a couple more minutes though."

"Okay, I'll let the umpire know."

* * *

In the VIP section, Liz waited with baited breath as Max had his ankle strapped and then slowly stood up. Things had been going so well until just a few moments ago; it would be absolutely devastating for Max if he had to withdraw from the match this close to winning the trophy. Across the court, Max walked around a little, even jogged to test his ankle and then turned to speak to John, who then murmured something to the umpire. Liz tapped her foot anxiously, folding her hands into her lap as she waited for the outcome. Max was sitting down again now, rolling his ankle experimentally and massaging his lower leg with his hands.

Around the court, the crowd began murmuring in concern for Max, and a few people shouted words of encouragement. It was a tense few minutes for everyone in the stadium, but eventually a loud, collective sigh of relief sounded as Max once more reached for his racket and the umpire announced the recommencement of play. Liz clapped and shouted along with the crowd as Max made his way back out onto the court. His ankle was now firmly strapped in a white bandage and he was limping slightly, but apparently he had decided that he was capable of continuing with the match.

The first game started out a little shaky, with Max somewhat unsteady on his feet, which allowed Marcus to win the first two points, but he quickly found his feet again and managed to win the next point, winning the game. Liz smiled with relief. Come on, Max, you can do it, she thought. It was 5-0 in the fourth set and Max just had to hold out for a few more minutes to win the next game and then it would be over. She crossed her fingers in anticipation as Marcus served for the next game.

Liz was on the edge of her seat for the next fifteen minutes as both Max and Marcus fought for the points. Max was definitely not up to the same standard as he had been earlier, so he was struggling in that respect, but on the other hand, Marcus seemed to be trying his best to take advantage of Max's injury, but was obviously distracted by the interruption of play. The atmosphere was tense as the score reached Deuce and then Marcus double-faulted, giving Max Advantage. This was it, realised Liz, Max had Match Point, no make that _Championship_ point, he was on the brink of his dream. She closed her eyes; please God, let him win, please.

* * *

Max was breathing heavily, the weight of the situation on his shoulders, as he focused in on Marcus, who was preparing to serve. This was it, the moment he'd been building towards since he was five years old. This was everything he'd ever wanted in his career, and it was potentially just moments away.

Around him, the crowd was tense as Marcus tossed the ball in the air… and hit it into the net. A collective sigh resonated through the court and people began calling out in support of Max again. On the other side of the court, Marcus appeared slightly flustered at his sudden inability to serve the ball in. He tossed the ball up again and this time didn't miss. The ball flew over the net and Max was quick to return it, not about to let Marcus win the point. The rally continued for three more strokes, but Marcus' last shot was ill placed and he left the other side of the court open for Max to hit it in, with no chance of return.

The crowd went wild as they realised what had just happened. For Max, though, it took a few more seconds longer for it to sink in. Slowly, his jaw dropped and a faint 'Oh, shit!' escaped his lips as he sank down to his knees, his hands covering his face.

He had just won Wimbledon!

He'd finally done it!

He simply sat there on the court for a few moments, taking in the enormity of what had just happened. Eventually, though he pulled himself up off the grass and punched the air, a huge grin on his face, before he moved to the net and shook Marcus' hand, thanking him for the match.

The crowd were clapping and cheering, amazed that finally Wimbledon had a British champion once again. But Max didn't see any of them; no, he was just focused on one thing. His gaze locked onto it and he jogged across the court to the VIP seating area.

"Congratulations, Max!" squealed Liz as he came to a stop in front of her. She reached over the barrier separating them and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you for getting back out there," she murmured in his ear. Max pulled back a little, cupping her head in his hand.

"Thank you," he told her sincerely, before leaning in for a sizzling kiss, one that would make the front page of all the papers tomorrow. "Liz, I –"

But Liz cut him off, "Go on you, get back out there and receive your cup. Enjoy the moment."

Max glanced behind him, realising that they were waiting for him on court. He sent Liz a quick grin, before complying with her suggestion and heading back out there again. Less than five minutes later, he was jogging around the edge of the court, careful not to hurt his ankle again, holding the shiny cup high above his head.

This really was the best moment of his life – career-wise, at least – now all he needed to do to make his life complete was fix his relationship with Liz once and for all.

_TBC…_


	34. Chapter 33

**Part Thirty-Three**

_**Tuesday July 17**__**th**__** 2007 – London**_

Max let himself into his flat after his early morning run and found Liz lying on his sofa, still clad in her nightclothes – one of his old T-shirts and a pair of his black boxers – TV remote in hand as she flicked through the channels.

"Morning TV, huh?" he said, announcing his presence as he approached her, running his hand through his damp locks.

"Hmm?" she murmured, turning her attention away from the screen to look up at him. "Oh, yeah."

He gave her a small smile, "I'm just gonna have a shower."

"Okay," she said then, her eyes falling back to the screen and Max frowned, wondering if everything was all right with her. She seemed a little… subdued.

"Back in a few," he told her, watching her for a moment before heading into his bathroom.

He sighed as he stepped under the hot stream of water a couple of minutes later. The past ten days had been a little strange, almost surreal in fact. At first, he'd been ecstatic over finally achieving his dream of winning Wimbledon, but as the days afterwards passed, he found himself settling back into a more normal routine, the novelty wearing off slightly. Having said that though, there had been one major change in his life compared to the time before the tournament, and that change was his newfound relationship with Liz. His heart swelled as he recalled the time they'd spent together the night of his win.

A smile tugged at his lips as he remembered how happy she'd been for him that night; she'd barely left his side all afternoon and evening; hell, she'd even followed him into the changing rooms, waiting patiently while he showered and got dressed in a smart shirt and black trousers ready for the big party being held in his honour at the clubhouse, before taking his arm and leading him over to where his family were waiting to congratulate him.

They'd spent the night talking and drinking champagne and socialising with his friends, until they were so tired they could barely stand up, at which point he'd had a car drive them back to his flat, where they'd shared a few passionate kisses before eventually collapsing on his bed in exhaustion, Liz curling up beside him as they drifted off into a much-needed dreamless sleep.

After that night last week, Liz had practically been living in his flat, only returning to her own to grab some clothes and toiletries and collect her mail. If he was honest, Max couldn't disagree that he was happy to have her back in his life again, despite everything. She really was his soulmate, he'd come to realise in the last few weeks and as much as he'd spent the last two years trying to deny it, life wasn't worth living if she wasn't in it.

Which was why he found it disconcerting that she'd seemed so down just now.

He shook his head in concern as he stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist before making his way back into his bedroom to get dressed. Less than five minutes later, he entered the living room again, now clad in a polo shirt and shorts, to find Liz on the sofa still, but now her eyes were closed and the remote was dangling from her outstretched hand, threatening to fall to the ground any moment.

Max smiled as he slowly made his way over to her, carefully extracting the small device from her hand and placing it down on the armrest, before gently lifting her feet from the cushions and taking a seat at the end of the couch. She stirred, mumbling incoherently, before sleepily pulling herself upright and then switching positions so that she could curl up next to him her head resting on his chest.

He gazed down at her tenderly, slipping one arm around her shoulders as the other reached across her body to slide around her waist, holding her close. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head as he relaxed back in his seat and turned his attention to the TV.

It was almost thirty minutes before she stirred again, her cheek rubbing against his chest as she began to wake.

"Hey," he murmured when she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "You okay?"

"Mmm," she mumbled, bringing one hand up to rub the sleep from her eyes. "I've been really tired the last couple of days, Max."

He frowned, "From the MS?"

She nodded, "Yeah."

He nodded too before, "Liz, have you thought any more about what we discussed the other day, about your plans for the future?"

She looked down at her lap, where their fingers were now entwined, "Yeah, I have." She paused for a moment and Max bit his lip, "Wimbledon was supposed to be my big comeback, but after everything I'm beginning to realise that I'm never gonna be as good as I was before."

"Liz–"

"I've made a decision, Max," she continued, effectively cutting him off. She exhaled heavily, "I'm going to officially retire from the singles game."

Max stilled, his fingers closing around hers a little, "Are you sure? I don't want you to regret this."

She nodded against his shirt, "I'm sure. As much as I hate to admit it, I don't think my body can handle the pressure of playing singles anymore."

He nodded, "Okay."

"But, tennis is and always has been a part of me and I'm not ready to give it up completely yet." She sat up a little, turning to face him properly. "Max, if it's okay with you, I still want to play doubles."

His eyes widened, "Of course it's okay with me, Liz. I love to play with you."

He watched as a bright smile lit up her lovely features and she leaned forward to hug him.

"Really? Thank you so much, Max."

"Don't thank me," he smiled. "It's your life, your decision. I'd be more than happy to play with you, but you have to promise me something."

"Yes?"

He reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, gazing down at her seriously, "Promise me that you won't work yourself too hard and that if the game ever gets too much for you, that you'll stop, okay?"

She nodded solemnly, "I promise, Max."

"Thank you."

They remained sitting like that, staring into each other's eyes for several long moments, until Max slowly began to lower his head to hers. Their lips met in a long, slow, passionate kiss and for the first time since before she'd disappeared and broken his heart, he allowed himself to feel completely again.

* * *

Liz let out a gasp when Max began raining soft, gentle kisses along her jaw line and down to her neck. Gently, he eased her backwards, her body stretched out on the sofa as he settled above her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes falling closed and her back arching as she felt him slide one hand up her side to lightly cup her breast.

"Max–" she breathed, his soft, warm lips capturing hers again, caressing her lovingly as his fingers kneaded her sensitive breast, the heat of his hand penetrating the T-shirt she wore.

He made a guttural sound in his throat when she shifted beneath him, her legs parting to allow his hips to settle snugly between her thighs.

"Oh, God," she whispered when he felt his arousal graze her aching centre.

It had been two very long, very painful years without him, without any kind of intimate contact with a man, and now her body was throbbing for his touch. She felt his lips curl into a smile as he lowered his hand from her breast and instead slid it beneath her shirt, easing the material upwards, exposing her flushed skin to the cool living room air. Max lifted himself up slightly, supporting his weight on his hands as Liz followed suit and reached down to pull the T-shirt over her head.

She felt her cheeks flush, feeling Max's intense gaze on her, his eyes darkening when they landed on nothing but bare flesh – she hadn't bothered to get dressed yet this morning.

"Liz…" he murmured, his tone almost… awed.

She couldn't help smiling softly, reaching forward for the hem of his shirt and urging it upwards. Max caught on quickly to her intentions and wasted no time in pulling it over his head. Liz's breath caught in her throat at the sight of his well-defined muscles and the way they flexed deliciously as he lowered his body down onto her once again. They both sighed as his bare skin came into contact with hers and their lips met in a hurried, passionate embrace.

Liz found herself so caught up in his wonderful, spine-tingling ministrations that she barely noticed when he hooked his thumbs inside the boxers she was wearing and slide them over her hips and down her legs. It wasn't until she felt his fingers gently caressing her that she realised she was naked.

"Max," she gasped, his fingers hitting a particularly sensitive spot. "I need you."

"Me too, Lizzie," he whispered, his mouth close to her jaw, as he carefully slid one finger inside her. Her hips bucked in reaction. "I need you too."

"Make love to me," she whimpered. "Please."

He just smiled at her tenderly, before moving off her and quickly disposing of his shorts and underwear. Her eyes roamed over his body as he climbed back onto the couch again and spread his body over the length of hers. She parted her legs again and a low groan escaped her lips when she felt his tip pressing against her intimately.

He supported his weight on his elbows, which were positioned either side of her on the couch, and looked down into her eyes with a smile.

"I love you," he whispered softly.

"I love you, too," she replied, suddenly feeling choked up. "And I'm so sorry for hurting you."

"Hey, hey," he shook his head, "none of that right now, okay?"

She nodded, her lips curling up into a small smile. However, that smile quickly became a gasping moan as Max entered her, gently rocking his hips against hers. They made gentle love right there on the sofa, as they got reacquainted with each other's bodies and afterwards, when Max collapsed against her chest and she wound her arms around his neck, gently stroking his hot, sweaty skin, Liz felt more satisfied than she could ever remember.

Two hours later found Max lying on his back in his bed, extremely sated. Liz was pressed against his side, her soft, naked skin causing havoc on his senses.

"Wow," she breathed, her warm breath floating across his chest. "That was…" she raised herself up on one elbow to look him in the eye. "Max, I've missed you so much. I wish I'd never–"

"No," he murmured, placing a finger on her lips, effectively silencing her. "Let's not dwell on the past. I love you; you love me; for once, I need for that to be enough."

She nodded and Max felt his heart twist at the happy expression on her beautiful face. He took a deep breath to prepare for what he was going to say next.

"I've been thinking about something the last few days, and I've decided that…" he stopped for a moment, suddenly wondering if this was the right time. Oh, what the hell, "Liz, I want to give you that baby."

He heard her sharp intake of breath as her eyes widened in surprise, "What?"

"I've been thinking about it ever since you told me the truth; how selfish I was to refuse back then, especially considering the circumstances." He sighed, "I just keep thinking, 'What if it's too late? What if, because of me, you lost your chance for a baby?' and I would hate for that to be true. So, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to give you your dream."

"Max, I–" she stopped, tears forming in her eyes. "Are you sure about this?"

He nodded firmly, "Totally and completely sure."

"But, isn't all this a bit sudden?" she asked, turning away from his side and pulling herself up into a sitting position, hugging the sheet to her chest. "I mean, two weeks ago, you weren't sure if you could forgive me and now you want to have babies? Max, maybe this isn't such a good idea."

"Liz," Max sat up too, his hand on her lower arm. "You told me that the doctor recommended having children early, before the symptoms got too bad for you to take care of a baby. Two years have gone by already and I'm just worried that if you wait much longer, you won't be able to cope with giving birth and raising a child."

Liz looked down at her lap and Max frowned at her miserable expression.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

She looked over at him with sad eyes, "God, it's all my fault, isn't it? I'm the one who's putting myself at risk here." She sighed, "If I hadn't been so stupid, if I hadn't left like that, then we would have been married by now… and maybe I would have children already."

"Liz, blaming yourself isn't gonna do anything but make you feel bad," argued Max gently. "There's no point dwelling on the past; you can't change what happened back then, but what you can do is concentrate on the present and look to the future." He shifted so that he was directly behind her, his bare chest pressing against her back as he slid his arms around her waist, "Whatever happens, Liz, I want to help you, okay? I want to make sure you get everything you want out of life."

He felt her chest hitch and he waited patiently as she turned around in his arms. He inhaled sharply at her expression and the tears that were now beginning to roll down her cheeks. She gave him a watery smile, lifting her hand to cup his cheek.

"Max, you are just the kindest, most wonderful–" she stopped, her voice catching in her throat. She took a steadying breath before continuing, "Thank you."

Max let his fingers run through her soft, dark locks, as he searched her face with his gaze.

"Anything to help you, Liz," he smiled tenderly. "Whatever I can do to help you, I'll will. Anything; as long as you're happy in life."

He watched her face began to crumple in response and he was ready, enfolding her in his embrace as she let herself fall against him.

He closed his eyes to prevent his own tears from falling as she whispered another heartfelt 'Thank you, so much'. As much as her actions had hurt him, he still loved her and he couldn't bear the thought that her illness was only going to get worse as time went on. All he wanted was for her to enjoy her life and be happy.

_TBC_…


	35. Chapter 34

**Part Thirty-Four**

_**Thursday August 2**__**nd**__** 2007 – London**_

Liz let out a small sigh, leaning forward on the bench, propping her elbows on her knees and supporting her chin on her hands as she watched Max and Nathan playing a friendly singles game on the local courts. Something had been bothering her over the last couple of weeks, and she didn't quite know how to deal with it, or how to approach it with Max.

"Yes! That's it! You're arse is mine, Thomas!"

The sound of Max's joyous exclamation rang out across the court and caused her to let out a soft chuckle, her worries temporarily forgotten.

"Hey, give me a break, man," retorted Nathan. "I'm not exactly used to playing against Wimbledon champions, here."

Max shot him a grin, "You're right. I guess I'd better go easy on you then."

"Don't you dare," Nathan contradicted himself with a grin. "I intend to win this fair and square."

"Whatever you say, mate."

Liz tried to stay upbeat for the remainder of their game, but it was hard to watch Max play, obviously in his element out there on the court, and not think about the things that had been bothering her lately. She did smile and cheer when Max won the game, although she had to give Nathan credit – he'd played really well this afternoon and as a result, Max had only won by a small margin.

Max and Nathan shook hands across the net, giving each other a friendly pat on the back, before coming off the court and Liz couldn't help but smile as Max swept her up in a sweaty hug and pressed an enthusiastic kiss to her lips.

"What was that for?" she smiled.

He shrugged, "What, I need an excuse to kiss you now?"

"No," she shook her head, still smiling as she tried not to let her troubled thoughts show on her face.

"That's good to know," he grinned, moving his hands to her waist and pulling back so he could gaze down at her. "Come on, let's go home and get changed – I'm taking you out to dinner tonight."

"Oh, you are, are you?" teased Liz, as she looked up into his soft, inviting gaze. "And you just assume that I don't have plans?"

His face fell for a moment, concern crossing his features, "You don't, do you?"

She chuckled, shaking her head, "No, I don't. Don't worry."

"Whew," he let out an exaggerated sigh of relief.

"So, where are you taking me?"

Max shook his head, "Nuh uh, it's a surprise."

She gave him an annoyed glare, but he only smirked and shook his head again, before letting go of her to return his racket to his tennis bag on the bench and gather his things.

"Aww, come on, Max."

"No," he chuckled, hoisting his bag onto one shoulder and taking her hand in his. "I'm not telling you."

They said a quick goodbye to Nathan, who was busy checking in with Sarah on his mobile as he packed up his gear, and headed for Max's flat so they could shower and change for the evening.

* * *

Two hours later, Max held out his hand for Liz to take as she got out of the taxi they'd taken from the flat to… somewhere in Covent Garden.

"So, are you finally going to tell me where we're going tonight?" she asked as she allowed Max to help her out of the car.

"Nope," he grinned. She opened her mouth to protest, but he continued before she could, "I thought I'd just show you instead."

He paid the taxi driver and then turned her around so she was directly facing their destination.

Liz let out a gasp, her eyes widening with a mixture of surprise and happiness as she turned to him, "Mon Plaisir?"

He grinned, "Yep."

"You're taking me to Mon Plaisir, Max?" she couldn't keep the wide smile off her face. "I haven't been here in forever."

"I know," he said softly, letting go of her hand and instead slipping it around her waist as he began to guide her towards the quaint French restaurant.

Liz felt her heart tug with emotion as Max led her inside the restaurant foyer, his hand resting on her lower back now, and spoke to the waiter in the entrance. Mon Plaisir had been one of their favourite restaurants to visit when they'd been a couple and it was strangely nostalgic to be here again, after all this time. As the waiter showed them to their table, Max's hand remained in place just above the curve of her bottom until the very last moment, only moving away when she sat down.

Liz watched Max with a small smile as he took his seat also and then smoothly picked up the wine list, only scanning it for a second before turning to the waiter and ordering a bottle of champagne. As the waiter nodded and scurried off to fetch the wine, Liz couldn't help but shake her head at Max.

"Max …"

"What?" he raised an eyebrow, his expression playful.

"What's all this in aid of?"

"Does it have to be in aid of anything?" he wondered.

"But, all this…" she gestured around them. "The fancy restaurant, expensive champagne… is it really necessary?"

He looked at her thoughtfully for a short moment, before leaning forward in his seat, "Liz, I just earned nearly three-quarters of a million pounds from Wimbledon and with the money from the other Grand Slams, it's not like I can't afford it. Besides, it's all worth it just to see you happy again."

Liz shifted slightly uncomfortably at his admission, "Max, you know I don't need any of this to make me happy. Just having my life back again is enough for me."

Max frowned then and Liz saw him open his mouth to say something, but then the waiter reappeared with their champagne and proceeded to pour them each a glass. He then took their food orders and left them alone once more. There was a moment of awkward silence between them until they both spoke simultaneously.

"Liz, what's going on –?"

"Max, there's something I –"

They both stopped, staring at the other for a second, before Liz gestured towards Max.

"Sorry, you go first."

Max nodded and then sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Liz, I can tell that something's been bothering you lately. You've been really distracted; what's going on?"

Liz sighed, looking down at the table for a moment before returning her gaze to his.

"You're right, there is something bothering me… What you said the other week, about wanting to have a baby…?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, that's what been bothering me," she admitted, biting her lip softly when Max frowned. "I guess what I want to know is why you said it."

"What do you mean?" he sounded miffed and Liz resisted the urge to wince. "I thought that's what you wanted."

"Exactly," she pointed out. "Is that the only reason you suggested it… to give me what I've been wanting for the last two years before it's too late? Like you're doing me a favour or something – because if that's why, then I don't think I want to have a baby with you."

She watched in anticipation of his answer as he sucked in a breath and then let it out slowly, his eyes narrowed.

"Is that what you think? That I just want to do you a favour? God, Liz…" he trailed off, his head shaking from side to side.

"Well, what else am I supposed to think?" burst out Liz then, unable to take the tension that had settled between them suddenly. "Two months ago you never wanted to see me again, then a month ago we're just starting to get close again and suddenly two weeks later you want a baby with me! Oh, and of course there's also the fact that the longer I wait to have children, the less easily I'll be able to cope with them so it would be best to have them right away. It just all seems a bit too … I don't know –"

"Liz," Max cut her off with a hand on her arm. "I'm sorry."

She looked down at his hand for a second before raising her eyes to his, to find his expression soft and tender.

He shook his head, "Lizzie, I love you. I know I probably shouldn't after everything that's happened, after what you did to me, but I can't help it. You're the love of my life; I don't think I could stop loving you even if I tried… and believe me I've been trying so hard to not love you for the past two years."

"Max…" Liz murmured, feeling tears spring to her eyes.

"Elizabeth Parker, I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you in my arms, to marry you, to have beautiful children with you, to grow old with you," he paused for a moment, reaching across the table so he could take both of her hands in both of his. "But I also know that this is moving very fast. What I said that day… I meant it with all my heart. I want to have a baby with you, so much… because I love you and because we both deserve to have a family and to be happy."

She shook her head, willing the tears not to fall as her heart constricted at Max's tender words.

"Liz, I was so close to asking you to marry me again the other week –" She couldn't help the gasp that escaped her lips as his admission. "– But I knew it was too soon for that; we'd only been back together for a couple of weeks. The thing is, I wish we could do all of this traditionally; you know, get married, spend a few months of quality time together, maybe try for a baby after a year or two… but the truth is that we don't have that luxury. We both know that the safest thing for you is to have children when you're young and still healthy enough to take care of them. That's why I want to give you a baby now, as soon as you feel you're ready – because I want to do everything I can to make sure your life is a healthy and happy and risk-free as possible."

By now, the tears were falling fast down Liz's cheeks and her heart swelled with love for the man sitting across from her. With everything she was, she wished desperately that she could turn back the clock and prevent herself from ever hurting him so long ago.

"Max, I–" her voice caught in her throat. "I don't know what to say. I love you so much too. And I'm sorry… I'm sorry for assuming, and for doubting you. I would love to do all those things too, but you're right." She sighed, "The truth is, I don't have time to do this properly, or to take my time over these decisions."

Max smiled softly across the table at her, his fingers tightening around hers briefly.

She took a deep breath, "And I know it wasn't a proposal or anything just now, but I just want you to know that I want to marry you too – not just yet, but definitely sometime in the future, when the time is right."

Max just nodded, swallowing sharply and Liz could see that he was almost as overwhelmed with emotion as she was. Gently, one of his hands drifted up to cup her jaw and he leaned across the small table to capture her lips with his in a sweet kiss, full of love and promise.

Just as they parted, the waiter returned with their food and the rest of the meal was spent in comfortable silence, the air between them filled with love and hope. This was the first day of the rest of their lives and Liz made a silent promise to herself that she would never be so stupid as to allow anything to come between them ever again.

_TBC…_


	36. Chapter 35

**Part Thirty-Five**

**Friday August 24****th**** 2007 – London**

_**PARKER FAULTS FROM PRESSURE: Weeks After Wimbledon Comeback, Parker Throws In The Towel**_

_Two and a half months after making her big Wimbledon comeback following a two-year absence from professional tennis, ex-British number one player Liz Parker has announced her retirement from the singles game. _

The news comes as a surprise so soon after her reappearance at the All England Club back in June, although perhaps not a complete shock after Ms. Parker experienced difficulties on court during the tournament, including a shocking collapse resulting in her withdrawal from the singles tournament.

_Is this a sign that Liz Parker's tennis talent is waning at the tender age of twenty-three, a time when most players come into their own, or has the obvious lack of training taken it's toll on her stamina? Ms. Parker stated vehemently in yesterday's press conference that she was not retiring from tennis altogether and will still enter mixed doubles tournaments with ex-fiancé and world number one Max Evans. However, one can't help but wonder if the proposed partnership will be a healthy one for Evans, considering the couple's history and Parker's still unexplained two-year disappearance from the public eye. __Will Evans now be forced to carry the weight of two champion tennis players?_

_And speaking of history, it has been reported that Evans and Parker have been seen out and about together in London recently. Several pictures of Ms. Parker leaving Mr. Evans flat early in the mornings have emerged in the last few weeks, leading to speculation that the two of them are once again on intimate terms. It has been suggested that this apparent newfound relationship could spell trouble for Evans, considering how his game suffered after Ms. Parker disappeared without a trace more than two years ago._

Liz sighed, shaking her head in annoyance as her eyes skimmed the newspaper article spread out on the kitchen table in Max's flat.

"Great. That's just great."

"Everything okay?" asked Max, glancing over at her in concern from his position in front of the open fridge.

She looked up and rolled her eyes again, holding the offending article up so he could see it, "We're on page six of the Daily Mail."

Max's expression became one of sympathy, as he closed the fridge and moved across the room, taking a seat beside her at the table.

"Well, we knew it would happen when we decided to do the press conference yesterday."

"I know."

"So, how bad is it?" he asked, placing a comforting hand on her arm.

"Well, they're questioning my talent and my stamina as a player, suggesting that us playing together is a bad move because my 'lack of training' will hold you back, and speculating about the current state of our relationship."

"Lizzie, you shouldn't pay any attention to what the press think," Max said softly, as a small smile played on his lips. "You know, I don't understand why you insist on reading the Mail anyway; everyone knows they're not the most reliable source of information out there."

"I know, I know," sighed Liz, placing the paper back down on the table.

She shifted in her seat so she could lean against him and his arms slipped around her automatically. They sat together in comfortable silence for a few moments, until Liz broke the silence.

"Max?"

"Hmm?"

She drew back from Max a little and turned to face him again, "Do you think we made the right decision yesterday? About not telling everyone the real reason I've decided to retire from singles?"

Max regarded her thoughtfully for a second before replying, "I know it feels like we're deceiving everyone by not saying anything just yet, but yes, I think we did make the right decision."

"Really?" Liz felt doubtful. After all, she had told her coach that she would tell them the real reason she had collapsed on court.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Look, I know David advised you to come clean after Wimbledon this year, the truth is that I knew you weren't comfortable with that. And if you're not comfortable with the public knowing then you shouldn't be forced to tell them yet."

"Thank you – for saying that."

"It's the truth, Liz. You deserve your privacy right now, and if you'd admitted the truth in the press conference yesterday, you would be dealing with the fallout for the next few weeks. You don't need that right now."

It was true, Liz had to admit; yesterday would not have been a good time to let the truth come tumbling out, not when they were about to fly to New York for the US Open, which began in a few days' time. Especially when they were in the process of rebuilding their relationship and working through everything in their personal life. Dealing with the press hounding her about her illness as well would have just caused them both too much stress.

No, they would just have to keep the press in the dark until the time was right.

* * *

**Monday December 24****th**** 2007 – London **

_**LOVE'S GAME, SET AND MATCH FOR SECOND-TIME LUCKY EVANS?**_

_Max Evans has done it again! He was spotted in a secluded spot of Wimbledon legend Jeff Parker's Surrey estate last Friday, getting down on one knee in front of Liz Parker for the second time in their tumultuous relationship. After the world witnessed Max's emotional and career breakdown two years ago when Liz disappeared shortly after they announced their engagement in July 2005, no one imagined that the two would reconcile, but judging by her enthusiastic reaction to the proposal three days ago, it seems the Evans-Parker engagement is back on with a vengeance._

_There has been no official announcement of the engagement as of yet, but a close friend of the pair confirmed our suspicions on Saturday, stating, "Max and Liz are most definitely back on, Liz even showed me the engagement ring herself. It's gorgeous – white gold, with a 1 carat princess-cut diamond stone – it must have cost a fortune!"_

Max roll his eyes in disgust as his eyes skimmed the article in the Christmas issue of Heat magazine that Liz had requested he pick up for her when he went to the supermarket for some last-minute Christmas food shopping this morning. He didn't know where they got these stories from half the time. Sure, some parts were true – he had proposed to Liz again on Friday in the expansive grounds of her parents' house, but the second paragraph was definitely not true. As of yet, no one but their parents knew of the engagement and Liz had not shown her ring to anyone else – and although the magazine description of the ring was elaborate, unfortunately it was incorrect. He knew that Liz didn't like expensive, over-the-top jewellery and so he had chosen something a little more discrete and conservative for her, albeit a ring he knew she would love.

As he entered his flat a few minutes later, Max couldn't help the smile that lit up his face when his eyes landed on Liz, standing in front of his large gas fireplace dressed in one of his large sweatshirts and a pair of jeans, gazing down at the flickering 'coal effect' flames. She looked so serene standing there, her shiny dark hair seemingly glowing in the orange radiance of the fire. He hated that he would have to break the news to her that the press had somehow found out about their private conversation on Friday afternoon and so already knew of the engagement. But forgetting his frustration over the article for a moment, he moved across the room towards her, placing the shopping bags and magazine on the sofa so he could slip his arms around her waist from behind.

"Hey," he murmured softly, resting his chin on her shoulder. She smiled and tilted her head to glance at him.

"Hey."

"I got your magazine," he started tentatively, knowing that he might as well get it over with now.

"Thanks," she smiled again, although this time Max noticed that it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"You okay?" he questioned softly, the magazine article forgotten for now.

"Yeah, I guess," she sighed. "I mean, I'm happy, don't get me wrong; it's Christmas Eve; I'm engaged," she glanced over at him again with another smile. "It's just…"

Her expression became sad and in response Max tightened his arms around her in support, "Just what?"

"Just… what if I never get pregnant, Max? What if I really did miss my chance?"

"Hey," he turned her round in his arms so that she was facing him. Looking down into her teary eyes, he reached up and ran a gentle hand through her soft hair, "You haven't missed your chance, okay? It's just… taking a little longer than we'd hoped. It'll happen eventually, I know it will."

"But what if it doesn't, Max? You heard the doctor; he said that the MS shouldn't affect my ability to conceive; yet here we are four months later, still not pregnant. God, what if there's something wrong? What if we can't get pregnant/"

"Hey, hey, hey," Max cut her off with a finger to her lips. "No more of this 'what if?' talk, okay? There's not really anything we can do but just keep trying. You're taking all the recommended supplements and we're doing everything the doctor advised, but some things you just can't control."

Liz shook her head in misery, "Two years ago, I'd given up hope of ever having children, and I was pretty much okay with that, but now… now, I can't bear the thought that it might never happen."

He gazed down at her, his heart giving a tug in his chest, "Look, sometimes these things just take time. It doesn't mean that it's not going to happen ever."

"But the point of doing this now was so that we could have a baby before I relapsed again, before I got too tired or weak to take care of a child. The longer it takes for me to get pregnant, the more chance I'll have problems with the birth and will struggle to cope with a baby. Does that not worry you at all?"

Max sighed, "Okay, so maybe it does worry me a little, but you're strong, Lizzie; you've been taking it easy and you've hardly had any health problems in months. I believe in you, okay? And I believe that everything will work out in the end."

Liz's face brightened a little and a small smile tugged at her lips, "Really?"

"Yes, really," he nodded firmly. "But… if you really don't want to take any chances or waste any time, then may I suggest that we take a trip to the bedroom and see if we can't get in some practice right now?"

This got a chuckle from Liz, one that warmed Max's heart, and he couldn't resist capturing her lips with his and pouring all of his love for her into the kiss. The magazine with the offending article inside was forgotten as he effortlessly swept her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom for some festive lovemaking.

* * *

**Sunday July 6****th**** 2008 – Wimbledon, 2008, Men's Final**

_**SMASHING SUCCESS FOR FALLING STAR EVANS: Max Finally Back On Form Again**_

World number four, Max Evans will certainly be breaking out the champagne tonight after a spectacular victory over the current world number one player, German favourite, Christoffer Reinhardt. Despite getting off to a shaky start in the first set, losing three games straight,, Evans managed to break back to take the set 6-4. His winning streak continued from there on and he went on to defeat Reinhardt in straight sets.

_Reinhardt shot to fame earlier this year, winning first the Australian Open in January, beating Evans in the Final and claiming the world number one spot, and then continuing his winning streak at the French Open last month, when Evans was knocked out in the Quarter-finals. However, when asked how it felt to drop to world number four, Evans responded that although it was obviously disappointing, he was happy for Reinhardt and that his priority at the moment was his personal life. He and fiancée, mixed doubles partner, Liz Parker, announced their engagement in the New Year._

_It seems that Wimbledon has been the main priority for Evans in the last fortnight and it paid off. He was on fire on court, dropping just one set in the entire tournament, and storming through to claim the coveted trophy this afternoon. And that's not all he's celebrating today – he and partner Liz made a surprise announcement after the match…_

"Well, I think congratulations are in order once again, Max," came Sue Barker's pleasant tone as Max and Liz settled into the BBC studio seats thirty minutes after the trophy presentations on Centre Court. "Amazing win out there today."

"Thanks, Sue," replied Max with a grin, as he gave Liz's hand a gentle squeeze. "I was definitely in my element out there on court."

"You certainly were, Max," complimented Sue. "It must be a great feeling to come back and win the title again after a few months of taking the focus off your career and not playing as many tournaments."

"Oh, definitely," nodded Max and Liz smiled at him, her heart brimming with happiness for him. "My lifelong dream was to one day become a Wimbledon Champion and last year, it finally came true. After that, I felt that it was time to step back a little and concentrate on my personal life for a while."

He glanced at Liz for a moment and she blushed when Sue also followed his gaze and she suddenly became the centre of attention.

"Well, you indisputably proved today that you still have what it takes to win Grand Slams, despite not training as hard this year."

"Well, tennis is still my passion and I have no intention of giving up the game any time soon. I'd definitely like to win a few more in my career too," replied Max, his eyebrow raised speculatively and Sue laughed, while Liz just shook her head in amusement.

"Well then, I'll be rooting for you, Max," joked Sue, before turning her attention to both them.

"Now, I know we were all surprised when you and Liz decided not to enter in the Mixed Doubles this year; was that a conscious decision made prior to the qualifiers or a last minute one?"

"Well…" Max smiled at Liz, squeezing her hand once more. She sent him a quick, confirming nod. "Actually, that's why I asked for Liz to join me in the studio this evening. We have an announcement to make."

"Really?" wondered Sue interestedly. "Do tell."

This time it was Liz who spoke up, "I'm going to be taking a break from tennis for a while. I'm almost four months pregnant."

She couldn't help but grin as Sue expression became one of shock and then quickly changed to pleasant surprise.

"Wow, congratulations, Liz, Max. That's wonderful news."

"Thanks, Sue," grinned Max. "We're both very excited about it. Actually, I've been bursting to tell everyone since we found out, but Liz convinced me not to until after we made it past the first trimester."

Sue chuckled, but Liz rolled her eyes with a smile, "Better to be safe than sorry."

Sue reached up to her earpiece then, before announcing to the camera, "Well that's all we have time for tonight, but I'm happy for you both. Congratulations on your engagement and your pregnancy, Liz. I wish you all the best."

They thanked Sue again and shook hands with her before leaving the studio hand-in-hand. Liz couldn't keep the grin off her face; Max was Wimbledon Champion for the second year running, she had been relatively symptom-free for several months now, she was fifteen weeks pregnant with a healthy little baby and she and Max were planning for a Spring wedding next year.

It had been a long, bumpy road getting here, but she and Max were finally living the life together they had always wanted. And so far, it was perfect.

_**Epilogue to follow…**_


	37. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**_Monday June 23rd 2026 – Day 1, Wimbledon Championships 2026_**

"Evans is doing well out here on court this afternoon, after a difficult first set in which he lost 3-6, he's pulling out some great tennis now in the second. He's definitely not going to let this opportunity pass him by," announced one of the commentator in the BBC box. "At just seventeen years old, this is his first Wimbledon and he's going to want to give it his all."

"Yes, I think you could be right about that, Tom," agreed the other commentator. "This is a big deal for new kid on the block, Evans. People are going to have high expectations for him, considering that he's the son of not one, but two Wimbledon Champions. And look, there they are on your screen right now, seated in the VIP box along side Todd Davis, Evans' coach and his manager, Peter Wilkinson."

* * *

Liz felt her heart swell with pride as she watched her son hit a powerful serve across the net. When she'd retired from tennis all those years ago, she would never have imagined that she would be back here almost twenty years later, cheering on her teenage son in his first ever match at Wimbledon. It had never been her intention for Jonathan to follow in her or Max's footsteps, but their son was a natural… he'd first picked up a racket at the tender age of three and that was it. He'd been destined to play tennis.

She felt a large, warm hand slip into hers and squeeze it gently. She smiled contentedly as she turned her head, her eyes meeting those of her husband of almost seventeen years. Max returned the smile before nodding and turning towards Jonathan who was currently involved in a long rally. Liz took a moment to study his profile; he was still as handsome now, at forty-five, as he had been at twenty-six, in fact, Liz would argue that he was even more so now, the light smattering of grey sprinkled through his dark locks giving him a very distinguished air.

Turning her attention back to the match, she couldn't help but smile at how much Jonathan looked like Max, with his slightly unruly dark hair and tall, lean frame. He had inherited her ears (thankfully) and her eyes, but everything else was pure Max. As she cheered and clapped as Jonathan won yet another game, she couldn't help her thoughts drifting back to the day he was born – Christmas Eve 2008 – and how happy she had been when she'd held him in her arms for the first time.

Surprisingly, her pregnancy had been much smoother than she'd thought it would be. Although the doctor had told her that pregnancy often suppressed the symptoms of MS, she'd still been expecting more discomfort and tiredness than she'd actually experienced. However, the birth itself had been very hard on her body as her energy had quickly waned and pushing had proved difficult. But the moment she heard the loud cries of her newborn son and he was placed in her arms, she knew it had all been worth it. Both she and Max had fallen in love with him immediately.

Unfortunately, the first few months after the birth had not been easy on her. Despite all of her and Max's efforts to make sure she had children while she was still young and had enough energy to cope with raising a child, staying at home to look after Jonathan while Max was off travelling the world on the ATP tour really began to take its toll on her body and after six months, she was really struggling. Of course, Max spent as much time at home with her and their son as he could, but he still had a career to think of, and often it just wasn't practical for her and the baby to travel with him.

They had originally planned for a Spring wedding, when Jonathan was three or four months old, but as the time drew nearer and Liz was struggling with lack of sleep and general fatigue, along with the increased possibility of a relapse, they'd decided to postpone it for a few months. In the end, the ceremony had been held in the grounds of her father's large Surrey estate on a gorgeous early August afternoon that summer. It had been an absolutely perfect day, followed by an even more perfect wedding night and a luxurious two-week honeymoon in Mauritius, just the two of them.

Liz had not wanted to leave Jonathan at home for those two weeks, but Max had pointed out that all the stress she'd been under over the last few months was really wearing her out and that she could really do with the break to rejuvenate her body without having to worry about taking care of Jonathan too. Plus, Max's mother, Diane had insisted on taking him for the two weeks and she refused to let Liz even think about flying the baby all the way to Mauritius on what should be a holiday just for two.

Liz glanced at Max again, feeling a rush of warmth flow through her body as she recalled a particularly perfect morning on their honeymoon…

* * *

_**Thursday August 13**__**th**__** 2009 – Mauritius**_

"_It's so gorgeous here," sighed Liz happily as she leaned against the balcony of their honeymoon suite and gazed out at the white sands and sparkling blue sea of the beautiful coastal resort they'd chosen to stay in._

"_It certainly is," murmured Max, as Liz could hear him shuffling around behind her._

_A moment later, she felt his hands on her hips and she reluctantly tore her eyes away from the breathtaking view and turned to face him. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the look on his face, his dark eyes dancing with happiness, a leisurely grin lighting up his handsome features, as he leaned in to kiss her hungrily._

"_Hmm," Liz moaned in against his lips as he pulled her flush against his half-naked body, clad only in black boxers, and wrapped his arms tightly around her._

_She shivered with anticipation as she felt the warmth from his hands pressed against her lower back seep through the large dress shirt of his that she was currently swimming in. It was the same one he'd worn out to dinner last night and that she'd hurriedly tugged at and pulled over his head the moment they arrived back at the hotel room later on._

_Liz felt Max grin against her lips just before he pulled back and lifted one hand to gently push her tousled hair back off her forehead._

"_I love you, Liz Evans," he murmured, his eyes searching hers. "I love you so much."_

"_I love you too," she replied softly, her hands moving to his lean hips, her fingers clutching at his warm skin as he kissed her again, this time briefly though, before he took one of her hands in his. Liz gasped in surprise at the sight before her as Max led her towards the white chaise lounge in the corner of the large balcony. _

"_Oh, Max…"_

"_You like?"_

"_Wow…" she breathed._

_Several large, fluffy hotel towels were draped over the chaise lounge, creating an inviting relaxation spot. A cold bottle of champagne stood proud in the centre of the small balcony table next to the chair, accompanied by two tall champagne glasses, a bowl of juicy strawberries and a jug of whipped cream. _

"_I thought we could go with tradition today," murmured Max, his lips nuzzling her neck as he acknowledged the condiments customarily served at the Wimbledon Championships each year._

"_Good choice," nodded Liz, her voice slightly breathless now. _

_Max's mouth continued to wreaked havoc on her sensitive skin as he urged her toward the chaise lounge, sliding onto the chair before holding out his hand for her to join him. She did so eagerly, settling her hips between his legs and leaning back against his chest as Max reached for the champagne bottle to fill their glasses with the sparkling liquid. The next few minutes were spent in relaxed pleasure as they fed each other cream-dipped strawberries. _

_It didn't take long for the bubbly champagne to have its effect on Liz though and the tingly warmth of the alcohol quickly began to spread through her limbs, causing her to relax more fully against Max, a blissful smile on her face._

"_Hmm, I could get used to this," she murmured contentedly when she felt Max's hands on her shoulders, his fingers gently massaging her skin, working their magic. "I haven't felt this good… or relaxed… in forever." _

"_That was kind of the point," came Max's amused tone, as he let out a soft laugh, his warm breath tickling her neck and making her shiver with delight._

_Liz closed her eyes in satisfaction as she moaned her approval at his movements. _

"_Sit up," he murmured in her ear a few moments after she'd gotten comfortable._

"_Huh?" she mumbled, not opening her eyes._

"_Sit up," he repeated gently, "So I can reach your back."_

_She sighed, as if his request was too difficult to achieve right this moment, "Oh, okay. Fine."_

_She eased herself up into a sitting position, resting her hands on Max's thighs and tilting her head forward, as his hands began working their way downwards from her neck. She arched slightly as he reached the middle of her back, brushing a sensitive spot, and a small moan escaped her lips. _

_Ten minutes later found her stretched out on her stomach along the chaise, Max straddling her legs as he continued his wonderful ministrations on her body. Every now and then, he slipped beneath the hem of the shirt she was wearing and she would feel his bare hands on her warm skin, which rather than relaxing her, actually served to send tingles of arousal through her body instead. _

"_You feeling better now? More relaxed?" he asked, his voice a mere rumble as his thumbs pressed into her lower back, causing her to stiffen slightly beneath him. _

"_Uh huh," she mumbled, unable to actually form words at this point._

"_Great," his voice held a smile. "That's exactly what I was going for."_

"_Oh God," she gasped a second later when he hit yet another sensitive spot. "Right there."_

"_Where?" he murmured, moving his thumbs over her skin, pressing down again. "There?"_

"_Yes," she groaned, her breathing becoming laboured, her arousal growing. "Max… I need…"_

_She didn't need to say anything else, as Max appeared to understand exactly what she was asking. He quickly removed his hands from her back and climbed off the chaise, as she pulled herself up into a sitting position. Barely a few moments later, Max had resumed his earlier position on the chair and had pulled her onto his lap. Liz gasped as Max pulled her close and her bare skin came into contact with his boxer-short-covered arousal._

_Within seconds, his hands were under her shirt again, this time cupping her full breasts, his thumbs gently grazing the sensitive nipples. Liz brought her head down, capturing Max's lips in an urgent, needy kiss as his hands moved down over her skin to cup her bottom, pressing their lower bodies together. Liz reached down and quickly freed Max from the boxers, before lowering herself onto him, letting out a groan of satisfaction at the delicious contact._

_They made love slowly and luxuriously on the chaise lounge, savouring every blissful moment, not caring if anyone could see them (which thankfully, they couldn't, due to the small concrete wall that surrounded the balcony) and afterwards, they lay there together gazing up at the bright blue sky that was so different from the usual cloud and rain back home in London._

"_Max?" murmured Liz softly, as she drew imaginary circles across his chest._

"_Hmm?"_

"_I really miss him," she confessed, knowing Max would know exactly who she was talking about – their son._

"_Me too," he sighed._

"_It's so strange not having him here with me. He's become so much a part of me."_

"_I know," said Max softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "But you needed this break; we both did. You've been so tired and stressed lately trying to keep on top of things and I've barely been at home with all the tournaments and everything. This was just something we had to do on our own."_

"_Yeah," smiled Liz, turning her head to look up at him. "I know."  
_

"_Plus, it is our honeymoon," he grinned then, causing Liz to chuckle. "We have to make the most of it now, don't we?"_

"_Definitely," she replied resolutely, leaning up for a kiss._

"_After all, this could be the one of the few times we'll be fully alone again, especially when we decide to have more children."_

_At his words, Liz stiffened, her good mood dipping slightly._

"_Hey, what's wrong?"_

_She shook her head, pulling herself up to sitting so she could look at him properly._

"_Max," she started tentatively. "I don't want any more children."_

"_Really?" Max sat up too, a concerned expression appearing on his face as he took her hand. "Are you sure?"_

"_Yes… no… I–" she sighed. "Okay, yes, in theory I do want another child; but Max, it's hard enough for me trying to take care of just Jonathan. I don't think I could handle raising another child too."_

"_Okay," Max's features relaxed as he took in her words. He reached out a hand to caress her cheek. "I understand; I really do. I know how difficult you've been finding it all lately, with the fatigue and everything."_

_She nodded, "I didn't think I would even get to have one child, let alone more than one and now I have Jonathan – _we_ have Jonathan – Max, I love him with all my heart and truthfully, he's all I need."_

"_Me too," agreed Max, as he took her into his arms, holding her tightly against his bare chest. "Me too, Liz, I have you and I have my son, and the two of you make me the happiest man alive. I couldn't ask for anything else."_

_

* * *

_

Max felt like a nervous wreck as he watched his son play his first ever Wimbledon match out on Court No. 2. Although it had been nine years since he'd retired from tennis and twenty-five since he'd been in Jonathan's position, competing against a high-seeded player in his first ever match, he could still remember how it felt to be out there on the Wimbledon courts like it was yesterday. Despite his fears for his son, he still couldn't deny that he was extremely proud of his achievements. He had to admit that a career in tennis hadn't been his first choice for him – he hadn't ever wanted to push him into the sport or anything like that – but it had been obvious from an early age that he was a natural and absolutely loved the game.

Although Max wished for his son to make it as far as he could in the tournament and in tennis overall, he couldn't help but worry that the pressure of playing professional tennis might be too much for him to handle. Jonathan had always been a quiet, soft-spoken, sometimes shy child and even as he'd matured into a teenager, he'd still retained those qualities, and Max knew firsthand how tough being in the spotlight could be. He just hoped that he wouldn't fall into the trap of the press and the pressures of celebrity in the future.

After his second Wimbledon Championship win back in 2008 and then winning the US Open a couple of months later, Max had eased off on his training a little to concentrate more on Liz and her pregnancy. Since Jonathan had been born in December, he had also opted not to enter the Australian open that January, preferring to stay at home with Liz and the baby. However, he knew that if he wanted to keep his ranking up in the top twenty, he needed to compete in the smaller ATP and Masters tournaments in the following months. He hated to leave Liz at home alone with their son, especially when she was struggling to cope with him, but there was little he could do about it if he wanted to keep his career on track. However, he did make sure that his mum could be available to help out if Liz ever needed her to and Diane had eagerly agreed to help out with anything Liz needed.

Although he continued to play in Grand Slams over the next few years, he found that he wasn't as determined to win them as he had been in the past. He'd already achieved all this goals – winning all four Grand Slams in the same year and then winning both Wimbledon and the US Open again the next year – so he continued to play because he loved the sport and because it was so much a part if his life that he couldn't imagine not playing.

Liz, on the other hand, had decided not to return to professional tennis after Jonathan was born, a decision that Max had supported wholeheartedly after seeing how tired she had become just being at home trying to look after the baby. However, she too had not been able to give up the sport completely and it was quite common for the two of them to head down to the tennis club courts every week or so for a friendly match, sometimes for a singles game and sometimes playing mixed doubles with Nathan and Sarah.

In the end, Max had retired from the Men's Singles game at age thirty-two, but had continued to play in the Seniors tournaments for another four years, before putting down his racket permanently and switching to the commentary box and presenting from the BBC TV studios at age thirty-six. Since then, he'd become a regular fixture on British television during Wimbledon tournaments – although this year he'd opted out of working for the BBC, preferring to support Jonathan from the sidelines instead.

Out on court, Jonathan Evans was both energised and determined. He knew that his chances of winning even this first-round match were pretty slim, since his opponent was seeded at number ten and he himself was unseeded and ranked at only one-hundred-and-twenty in the world, but he was still determined to play to the best of his ability today.

Not only were the stands full of fans, cheering him on as a British player, but his parents were sitting just a few feet away in the VIP box and as much as he knew that they wouldn't care if he didn't win this match, he still didn't want to disappoint them. After all, if it weren't for his father's encouragement and valuable advice and his mother's resolve to do anything and everything she could for him even though she was sick, he would never have made it this far.

He knew it had been hard on his mum, watching his dad play in tournaments while she herself was not out there playing the tennis circuit. When he'd been younger, about eight or nine, he'd worried that was reason she was sad about not playing tennis was because of him, because she had to stay at home and take care of him instead of playing tennis with Dad. But when his mum had found him sulking in his bedroom after school one afternoon, she'd been quick to reassure him that it was not his fault at all.

That was the day that she'd sat him down and told him about her illness. She'd wrapped her arms around him and stroked his hair back off his forehead as she told him that he was the most precious thing in her life and the best thing that had ever happened to her. It wasn't until a few years later, just after he'd turned fifteen that he'd finally learned the truth about his parents' relationship; how his mum had once given up on ever having children and how he'd been a complete blessing to them.

While his mum had been relatively healthy when he was younger, only suffering the odd dizzy or fainting spell and occasional lack of coordination, by the time he began to hit puberty, her relapses started to become more frequent, bringing worsening symptoms with them each time, and two years ago, she'd started using a wheelchair. She was still very much capable of walking unaided, but she would get tired very quickly and so chose to use a wheelchair to travel longer distances.

He still remembered the day when the story of her illness broke in the newspapers. He knew that his parents had been planning to make a formal announcement after she'd suffered an unexpected collapse in the middle of Oxford Street when he was thirteen, but unfortunately the paparazzi had gotten a few pictures of the incident and hadn't hesitated to print them and so they'd had to come clean sooner than planned. Thankfully, they'd had a good, supportive reception from both the press and the general public and within a few weeks it was old news.

As he shifted his weight from foot to foot while he waited for his opponent to serve, Jonathan couldn't stop the bubble of excitement that was threatening to rise up in his throat. He almost couldn't believe that he was actually here at Wimbledon, playing on the same court that both of his parents had once played on. It was like a dream come true. Now if only he could just win this… shit. The ball had just whizzed past him in a perfectly placed ace from his opponent and as the crowd cheered, he couldn't help the groan of annoyance that escaped his lips. He looked to the sidelines, to see his parents nodding and giving him encouraging smiles and he knew he just had to suck it up and carry on.

By the beginning of the third set, it appeared that the match was a losing battle. he was down two sets to love and it was obvious that the seeded player on the other side of the net was just too good for him to beat. Well, Jonathan resolved when in was his turn to serve, if he couldn't win this, he'd better at least give it his all in this, potentially final, set. With that thought in mind, he bounced the ball a couple of times, threw the ball into the air and slammed his racket down.

It turned out that his prediction was correct: he didn't win the match, but if he was honest, Jonathan wasn't too disappointed. True to his word, he'd upped his game in the third set, giving his opponent a run for his money as much as possible and even winning most of his games. The match finished with a third-set tiebreak and though his opponent won, he knew that he'd played some of his best tennis in those final few games. As he glanced to the sidelines again and saw his dad standing up as he clapped, a look of pride on his face, and his mum still seated beside him, but with the same proud expression, he realised what an achievement it was just to be able to play at Wimbledon. And after all, he was still only seventeen. He was just starting out; who knew what the future held?

_**End**_


End file.
